Ecuador shaken by massive earthquake

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By Catherine Hardy  with AFP, Reuters
Ecuador shaken by massive earthquake
  • 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?

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

In tweets

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