7.8 magnitude earthquake off Ecuador coast: 28 dead

(Baonghean.vn) - An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Ecuador late yesterday, Saturday, April 16, causing strong tremors in the capital Quito and bringing warnings of a tsunami risk.

Streets of a town in Ecuador after the earthquake. Photo: Twitter.

Ecuador's Vice President Jorge Glass said at least 28 people were killed in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Ecuador. Glass declared a state of emergency and began evacuations in coastal areas where a tsunami was possible.

“I was sitting in my house watching a movie and everything started shaking violently,” said Lorena Cazres, a local resident in Quito. “I immediately ran out into the street and now I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Images from the Ecuadorian government showed a collapsed bridge in the coastal city of Guayaquil and a collapsed tower at the airport in the city of Manta.

Some areas of the city have lost power and phone signals, with people now only communicating via Whatsapp (a messaging app). Images shared on social media show cracks appearing on the walls of shopping malls.

Countries in the Andes region (including 7 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela) have declared an emergency but have not yet confirmed the damage caused by the earthquake.

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 7.8, while the Ecuadorian Geophysical Institute gave a lower figure. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicted that tsunami waves of 0.3 to 1 meter above high tide could occur on some coasts in Ecuador. Peru has issued a tsunami warning for the northern part of the country following the quake.

Thanh Hien

(According to Reuters)