41 killed in powerful 7.8-magnitude Ecuador quake

April 17, 2016 11:34

At least 41 people were killed when a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador, destroying buildings and sending terrified residents dashing from their homes, authorities said.

President Rafael Correa declared a national emergency and urged the Andean nation's 16 million people to stay calm.

"Our infinite love to the families of the dead," he said on Twitter, while cutting short a trip to Italy to return home.

Vice President Jorge Glas said that the death toll will likely rise further in what he called the "worst seismic movement we have faced in decades."

"Sadly the information we currently have is that 41 citizens have lost their lives in this emergency... This death toll will unfortunately rise in the coming hours," Glas said in televised comments.

Ecuador's Geophysical Office reported "considerable" structural damage "in the area near the epicenter as well as points as far away as Guayaquil."

The US Geological Survey said that the shallow quake struck off the northwest shore of Ecuador with a magnitude of 7.8. Glas gave a slightly lower measurement of magnitude 7.6.

Ecuador lies near a shifting boundary between tectonic plates and has suffered seven earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher in the region of Tuesday's quake since 1900, the USGS said. One in March 1987 killed about 1,000 people, it said.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a warning for the nearby Pacific coastline but later said that the threat had largely passed.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Let's not talk about the throw, it was not up to it: Neeraj Chopra

Neeraj Chopra won again, but not in the manner he would have liked to, and he had no qualms in admitting it.

Southwest Monsoon to reach Kerala on May 31 amid El Nino concerns

"This year, the Southwest Monsoon is likely to set over Kerala on May 31 with a model error of four days," the India meteorological department said on Wednesday.

In Pictures - Clinical Punjab Kings hand Rajasthan Royals fourth loss on the trot

Despite a well-tuned 48 from local hero Riyan Parag, Rajasthan Royals struggled against an array of accurate bowlers on a rather slow pitch, meandering to a sub-par 144 for nine against Punjab Kings in their IPL match in Guwahati on...

T20 creates the perfect form of cricket: Usain Bolt

It comes as no surprise when the world's fastest man Usain Bolt says that the fastest form of cricket is his favourite one and feels more fans in the Caribbean and world over will choose the T20 format over Tests going forward.

1 dead, 14 rescued after lift collapses in Rajasthan mine

Fifteen personnel of the public sector company got trapped in a mine Tuesday night when a cage used to carry the personnel fell down after a rope broke, police said.