Devastating Ecuador Earthquake Claims Lives Of Minimum 15 Individuals
Devastating Ecuador earthquake claims lives of minimum 15 individuals.At least 15 people have lost their lives and more than 400 are injured after a 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook Ecuador's southern coast.
Deadly 6.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Ecuador's Southern Coast, Damaging Buildings in Multiple Cities
The earthquake struck at around midday local time and damaged several buildings in different cities. The province of El Oro was the most affected with 12 deaths reported there.
Northern Peru also felt the impact of the quake, and a 14-year-old girl lost her life in Tumbes, a border province when her home collapsed.
Residents in Machala and Cuenca witnessed damage to buildings and vehicles as emergency services rushed to help those affected. The earthquake's epicenter was near Balao, approximately 80km (50 miles) from Guayaquil, Ecuador's second-largest city, where about three million people live.
Exon Tobar, a Machala resident, shared his experience with BBC, saying, "We ran from the house. The ground - it was a very powerful explosion - it made it shake and it made the electric cables, the windows, and everything move. People were in the streets praying because it didn't stop."
At Least 15 Killed As Strong Earthquake HITS Coastal Ecuador
President Guillermo Lasso urged Ecuadoreans to remain calm as officials assess the damage. He visited a hospital in the city of Machala to meet some of the injured people. The government said that over 250 injured people were treated in the town of Pasaje, in El Oro, and almost all of them were discharged.
Authorities reported that landslides blocked several roads while educational buildings, health centers, and homes suffered significant damage.
One person lost their life in Cuenca after a wall collapsed onto their car, while three people died when a security camera tower came down on Jambelí Island, in El Oro province.
The earthquake was also felt in several other cities, including Manabi, Manta, and the capital Quito. This is the strongest earthquake to hit Ecuador since 2016 when nearly 700 people died, and thousands were injured.
Conclusion
The aftermath of the earthquake on Ecuador's southern coast requires extensive rebuilding efforts to restore the damaged infrastructure and support affected communities. The government and aid organizations are working to provide assistance to those in need and assess the full extent of the damage.
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