Ecuador shaken by massive earthquake

Ecuador shaken by massive earthquake
By Catherine Hardy with AFP, Reuters
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At least 77 have died, damage is widespread

  • At least 77 dead, 500 injured
  • Tremor with magnitude of 7.8
  • State of emergency declared in six provinces
  • National Guard mobilised

What is happening?

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At least 77 people have died during a powerful earthquake in Ecuador.

The tremor, centred in a sparsely populated area near the coastal town of Muisne, measured 7.8 on the Richter scale.

A state of emergency has been declared in six provinces.

The National Guard has been mobilised.

What the experts say

The US Geological Survey:

  • 8pm local time (0100 GMT)
  • quake was at a depth of 19.2 km
  • epicentre was 27 km from Muisne

Tsunami threat from Ecuador quake has mostly passed, says Pacific Tsunami Warning Center https://t.co/gTOTPzGwIN

— Williams Lake News (@wlLakenews) April 17, 2016

  • Tsunami threat for Ecuador coast has mostly passed – Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.
  • Tsunami alert issued for northern Peru

In tweets

PHOTO: A hotel in Manta, Ecuador, barely stands after a deadly earthquake (AP Photo by Patricio Ramos) pic.twitter.com/V0CbPawn7l

— The Associated Press (@AP) April 17, 2016

Powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocks Ecuador, 28 dead https://t.co/mZLcjorVdwpic.twitter.com/RDzHkmBpZw

— Times of India (@timesofindia) April 17, 2016

Our thoughts are with the people of #Ecuador this morning following news of a massive earthquake there #Quitohttps://t.co/pggZcIOIZR

— Guardian Paramedics (@GParamedics) April 17, 2016

BREAKING: Massive 7.4 earthquake hits Ecuador (USGS) pic.twitter.com/oC5gY4Tdus

— Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) April 17, 2016

The Ring of Fire

Ecuador is at risk from earthquakes.

The country is located on what experts call the “Ring of Fire”.

This is a horseshoe-shaped, seismically active zone around the rim of the Pacific Ocean.

Timeline: last earthquakes in Latin América

What they are saying

“We have 16 people dead in the city of Portoviejo, 10 in Manta and two in the province of Guayas” – Ecuadorean Vice President Jorge Glas

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