14 dead in 6.8 million earthquake in Ecuador

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At least 14 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that struck a coastal area in Ecuador and northern Peru at noon Saturday, causing structural damage to many homes, schools and medical centers.

“Emergency teams are mobilizing to give all their support to those affected,” Ecuadorian President Guillermo Laso said in a tweet.

The quake, which had a magnitude of 6.8 by the US Geological Survey (USGS), struck at a depth of 66.4 kilometers (41.3 miles) 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the city of Palau in the province of Guayas.

The authorities said it was unlikely that the quake would cause a tsunami.

The Communication Agency of the Presidency of the Republic said that the earthquake left 11 dead in the Oro province, and one person was killed in the Azuay province, while several people were being treated for injuries in hospitals.

Grocers on the floor of a grocery store in the aftermath of the earthquake in Guayaquil, Ecuador, March 18, 2023, in this still image from video obtained from social media. (Credit: GENESIS CHEILLADA JARAMILLO / VIA REUTERS) Damage to infrastructure

The agency also said that many homes, educational buildings and health centers were damaged and many roads were closed due to landslides caused by the quake. Santa Rosa Airport sustained minor damage but remained operational.

The General Secretariat for Risk Management of Ecuador said in an earlier statement that the death occurred in the province of Azuay when a wall collapsed in a car. In other counties, structural damage included the collapse of a dock and the collapse of a store wall.

The agency said that the state oil company, Petro Ecuador, had evacuated and suspended its activities at several precautionary facilities, but did not report any damage.

“We all ran into the streets…we were very afraid,” Ernesto Alvarado, a resident of Isla Buona, near the epicenter, told Reuters, adding that some houses had collapsed.

The initial quake was followed by two weaker aftershocks in the next hour, according to the Geophysics Institute of Ecuador.

Peruvian authorities said the quake was felt in the northern region of the country and there were no immediate reports of damage to people or facilities.

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