At least 16 dead in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake that struck Ecuador

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The 6.8-magnitude earthquake caused casualties in the country, at least one person was killed in Peru, hundreds of others were injured, and others were trapped under the rubble.

By Thomas Leffler, staff writer for AccuWeather

Posted on March 19, 2023 6:13 PM | Updated Mar 19, 2023 6:13 PM GMT

A police officer looks to the side of a car crushed by debris after an earthquake rocked Cuenca, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Xavier Caivinagua)

A deadly earthquake that struck southern Ecuador on Saturday has created a state of emergency in a province, as officials try to recover artifacts from the 6.8-magnitude strike.

On Saturday afternoon, the earthquake struck the town of Palau, about 50 miles south of the densely populated city of Guayaquil, quickly destroying it in the aftermath of the raid. As of Sunday, at least 16 people have died due to the earthquake, 11 of them in El Oro province.

According to local officials, at least three of the fatalities in El Oro occurred when a surveillance camera tower fell. Several other people were also reported to be trapped under rubble in El Oro, including those who were trapped after a two-story home collapsed in the community of Machala.

In the province of Azuay, a person died when a wall collapsed on a car. On Sunday, the General Secretariat of Communications, headed by Ecuador, declared a state of emergency in Azuay. The office also stated that an estimated 381 people were injured in the quake and that the injured were being treated in hospitals. No further details of the injuries were released until Sunday afternoon.

Household belongings float in the water after an earthquake rocks Machala, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Erick Feijoo)

Another victim of the earthquake was found in Peru near the Ecuadorian border, where Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola stated that a 4-year-old girl died from head trauma from a house collapse in the Tumbes area.

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The USGS reported that the quake was more than 65 kilometers (about 41 miles) deep and gave an “orange alert” for the strike. The USGS states that the “orange alert” is for “shake-related fatalities” and that “significant injuries are likely and the disaster is widespread.” Orange alerts correspond to a death toll of anywhere between 100 and 1,000 people. The USGS also gave a “yellow warning” about economic losses, saying that “some damage is possible” and that estimated losses could be as high as $100 million.

Damage included falling bricks and debris in the historic center of Cuenca, a city on the United Nations’ list of World Heritage Sites. Officials also reported damage to health care centers and schools.

Residents retrieve belongings from the wreckage of their collapsed homes after an earthquake hit Machala, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)

“In general, residents in this area reside in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquakes, although there are some resistant structures,” notes the USGS website, also noting that recent earthquakes in Ecuador come with “secondary hazards” such as mudslides that It can prolong the damage and increase the death toll.

Ecuador is no stranger to serious earthquakes in recent years. In April 2016, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit the country’s coast, killing nearly 700 people and injuring more than 6,000. In February 2019, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the southern part of the country, recording at least two aftershocks of magnitude 6.0 within 30 years. minutes of the initial earthquake.

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