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2 powerful earthquakes rock Ecuador within 24hrs, 1 dead | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Ecuador has been hit by two earthquakes within 24 hours, with the latest 6.8-magnitute quake reported northwest of the country’s capital, Quito. One person was killed and 85 others injured in the disaster. | |
One person, a senior citizen, died and 85 others were injured in the two quakes, Rafael Correa, Ecuadorian President, said. | |
The epicenter of the first tremor, which happened overnight, was near the fishing village of Mompiche on the Pacific coast, about 368 kilometers from Quito, President Correa said earlier. | |
“There are some light injuries because people ran out, or bumped into things,” Correa said on national TV. | “There are some light injuries because people ran out, or bumped into things,” Correa said on national TV. |
According to Ecuador’s president, some minor damage was inflicted on infrastructure, which had already been damaged in a large quake on April 16. | According to Ecuador’s president, some minor damage was inflicted on infrastructure, which had already been damaged in a large quake on April 16. |
“Despite the alarm and the scare and the possibility of new damage... it’s normal, you expect aftershocks for two months after [the April quake],” Correa explained. | “Despite the alarm and the scare and the possibility of new damage... it’s normal, you expect aftershocks for two months after [the April quake],” Correa explained. |
One person was injured when a wall collapsed and five others were hurt as they fled a building in panic, said Cesar Navas, security coordination minister, according to Reuters. | One person was injured when a wall collapsed and five others were hurt as they fled a building in panic, said Cesar Navas, security coordination minister, according to Reuters. |
The epicenter of the second earthquake, which hit midday, was 82 kilometers south of Esmeraldas on the northwestern coast of the Andean country, the US Geological Survey said. | The epicenter of the second earthquake, which hit midday, was 82 kilometers south of Esmeraldas on the northwestern coast of the Andean country, the US Geological Survey said. |
USGS initially gave the second quake a magnitude of 6.9, but then revised the figure down to 6.8. | USGS initially gave the second quake a magnitude of 6.9, but then revised the figure down to 6.8. |
President Correa wrote on Twitter that some coastal areas were left without power due to the quake, adding that schools would be closed nationwide as a precaution. | President Correa wrote on Twitter that some coastal areas were left without power due to the quake, adding that schools would be closed nationwide as a precaution. |
Twitter users posted pictures of the devastation online, claiming that people were trapped under the rubble in a collapsed bank in the city of Portoviejo. | Twitter users posted pictures of the devastation online, claiming that people were trapped under the rubble in a collapsed bank in the city of Portoviejo. |
The tremor saw hundreds of students evacuated from education institutions in Ecuador’s most populated city of Guayaquil. | The tremor saw hundreds of students evacuated from education institutions in Ecuador’s most populated city of Guayaquil. |
More than 600 people were killed and over 2,500 injured in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the Ecuadorian coast in April. That quake was followed by a series of strong aftershocks. The disaster ravaged coastal towns and left thousands of households without power. | More than 600 people were killed and over 2,500 injured in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the Ecuadorian coast in April. That quake was followed by a series of strong aftershocks. The disaster ravaged coastal towns and left thousands of households without power. |
READ MORE: 6.2 tremor strikes off Ecuador coast days after deadly quake which killed over 400 | READ MORE: 6.2 tremor strikes off Ecuador coast days after deadly quake which killed over 400 |