At least four dead in an earthquake off the coast of Ecuador
A earthquake of more than six degrees of magnitude in southern Ecuador has caused the death of at least four people, one person injured, two houses destroyed, according to the preliminary assessment of the Ecuadorian authorities. The tremor was registered at 12:12 noon (7:12 p.m. Spanish time) in the municipality of Balao, 140 kilometers from Guayaquil and 44 kilometers deep. .
According to the Ecuadorian authorities, the earthquake was magnitude 6.5. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) raises it to 6.8 degrees while the seismological authorities of Peru They talk about a 7 degree earthquake. Be that as it may, it is a tragedy that has sown destruction in various areas of the country. In addition to the dead, injured and destroyed buildings, there are three educational centers and two health centers affected by the earthquake, as well as two houses.
Collapsed facade
One of the dead was a person in the province of Cuenca who was inside a vehicle and the facade of a house collapsed on him. on top of him. In the province of El Oro three people died as a result of the rain. an electrical tower. In this area there are many residents who have been without light and electricity, due to the collapse of the tension towers. There are also people trapped in businesses and homes and damage to docks or the airport.
These are the two provinces most affected by the earthquake, although damage is also reported in Guayas, where walls of a < strong>commercial center and the university, and in Chimborazo a road has suffered a landslide. The images of the Collapsed buildings and firefighters lifting rubble already circulating in the media and social networks. The seismic movement was also felt. Strongly in other cities such as Quito, Manabí and other cities. and Manta, according to users on social networks.
The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, has assured that he will take action. “immediate actions” and made a “call for calm and information through official channels” in a Twitter message. He has activated a crisis cabinet and has promised all the necessary support to the people affected.
We are carrying out the evaluation of the affectations given by the earthquake. The institutions were immediately activated and contingency teams are mobilizing to offer all their support to those who have been affected. https://t.co/QPeJn80YZK
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) March 18, 2023
The seismic wave also affected the area. the north and central coast of Peru , although with less intensity. Hernando Tavera, head of the National Seismological Center of Peru, assured the that “there is no significant damage to the structure or to people” in that country. The Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute of the Ecuadorian Navy assured the The tremor “does not meet the necessary conditions to generate a tsunami” in the Pacific.
