According to official figures, 13 people were killed and about 400 injured in the earthquake. People took to the streets in panic and saw the falling roofs of nearby houses.
At least 15 people were killed and 400 injured in the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the south coast of Ecuador. It is reported by the BBC.
Its magnitude was 6.8, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and the elements covered an area of 80 square kilometers south of the city of Guayaquil.
The shaking occurred the previous day, on March 18, at around 17:00 local time. According to the government, the southern state of El Oro took the hardest hit, with 12 people dead.
Elements also affected neighboring Peru. A 14-year-old teenager in the city of Tumbes died from a head injury under the rubble of his home. This was announced by Prime Minister Alberto Otarola.
In Ecuador, the cities of Machala and Cuenca suffered the most. The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded near Balao, 80 km from Guayaquil, the country’s second largest city, where more than 3 million people live.
Fabrizio Cruz, a resident of Machala, said that when he was on the third floor of the building, he felt severe jolts and saw his TV fall to the floor. After that, he immediately ran into the street.
“I heard my neighbors screaming and there was a lot of noise,” the 34-year-old photographer said, adding that he saw the roofs of nearby houses fall.
“We ran away from our homes,” explained Machala resident Ekson Tobar, “the world had a very strong explosion, it started shaking, everything moved: electrical wires, windows and everything. People were in the street and praying because it didn’t stop.”
President Guillermo Lasso asked residents to remain calm and visited a hospital in the city of Machala to meet with some victims.
According to the government, some roads were closed due to landslides and homes, educational buildings and hospitals were damaged.
In the city of Cuenca (capital of Azuay province), one person was killed when a car crashed into a wall. Three people died as a result of the collapse of a tower with a security camera on Jambeli Island.
The earthquake was felt in cities such as Mannami, Manta and Quito.
This is Ecuador’s largest earthquake since 2016, killing nearly 700 people and injuring thousands.
Previously Focus It was reported that houses fell into water during the earthquake in Ecuador. In a video taken in the port city of Puerto Bolivar and shared on social media, it was seen that many buildings fell into the water.
Recall that, according to seismologists, there may be an earthquake of magnitude 7 in Ukraine. Alexander Kendzera believes that the elements can approach the capital.
Source: Focus
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