Strong earthquake kills at least 14 in Ecuador, 1 in Peru

A strong earthquake shook confederate Ecuador and bluish Peru connected Saturday, sidesplitting astatine slightest 15 people, trapping others nether rubble, and sending rescue teams retired into streets littered pinch debris and fallen powerfulness lines.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake pinch a magnitude of astir 6.8 that was centered conscionable disconnected nan Pacific Coast, astir 50 miles (80 kilometers) southbound of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second-largest city. One of nan victims died successful Peru, while 14 others died successful Ecuador, wherever authorities besides reported that astatine slightest 126 group were injured.

A man takes a photograph of a building that collapsed aft an earthquake shook Machala, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Jhonny Crespo)

A constabulary serviceman looks up adjacent to a car crushed by debris aft an earthquake shook Cuenca, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Xavier Caivinagua)

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso told reporters nan earthquake had "without a uncertainty ... generated siren successful nan population." Lasso’s agency successful a connection said 12 of nan victims died successful nan coastal authorities of El Oro and 2 successful nan highlands authorities of Azuay.

In Peru, nan earthquake was felt from its bluish separator pinch Ecuador to nan cardinal Pacific coast. Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otárola said a 4-year-old woman died from caput trauma she suffered successful nan illness of her location successful nan Tumbes region, connected nan border pinch Ecuador.

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One of nan victims successful Azuay was a rider successful a conveyance crushed by rubble from a location successful nan Andean organization of Cuenca, according to nan Risk Management Secretariat, Ecuador’s emergency consequence agency.

In El Oro, nan agency besides reported that respective group were trapped nether rubble. In nan organization of Machala, a two-story location collapsed earlier group could evacuate, a pier gave measurement and a building’s walls cracked, trapping an chartless number of people.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake pinch a magnitude of 6.7 astir 50 miles southbound of Guayaquil.  (AP Photo/Xavier Caivinagua)

The agency said firefighters worked to rescue group while nan National Police assessed damage, their activity made much difficult by downed lines that interrupted telephone and energy service.

Machala resident Fabricio Cruz said he was successful his third-floor flat erstwhile he felt a beardown tremor and saw his tv deed nan ground. He instantly headed out.

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"I heard really my neighbors were shouting and location was a batch of noise," said Cruz, a 34-year-old photographer. He added that erstwhile he looked around, he noticed nan collapsed roofs of adjacent houses.

Ecuador’s authorities besides reported damages to wellness attraction centers and schools. Lasso said he would recreation connected Saturday to El Oro.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake pinch a magnitude of astir 6.8 that was centered conscionable disconnected nan Pacific Coast, astir 50 miles (80 kilometers) southbound of Guayaquil.  (AP Photo/Jorge Sanchez)

In Guayaquil, astir 170 miles (270 kilometers) southwest of nan capital, Quito, authorities reported cracks successful buildings and homes, arsenic good arsenic immoderate collapsed walls. Authorities ordered nan closure of 3 vehicular tunnels successful Guayaquil, which anchors a metro area of complete 3 cardinal people.

Videos shared connected societal media show group gathered connected nan streets of Guayaquil and adjacent communities. People reported objects falling wrong their homes.

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One video posted online showed 3 anchors of a show dart from their workplace table arsenic nan group shook. They initially tried to shingle it disconnected arsenic a insignificant quake but soon fled disconnected camera. One anchor indicated nan show would spell connected a commercialized break, while different repeated, "My God, my God."

Luis Tomalá was sportfishing pinch others erstwhile nan earthquake struck. He said their vessel began moving "like a racehorse, we sewage scared, and erstwhile we turned connected nan radio, we heard astir nan earthquake." That’s erstwhile his group, Tomalá said, decided to enactment astatine oversea fearing a tsunami could develop.

Household belongings float successful h2o aft an earthquake shook Machala, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023.  (AP Photo/Erick Feijoo)

A study from Ecuador’s Adverse Events Monitoring Directorate ruled retired a tsunami threat.

Peruvian authorities said nan aged walls of an Army barracks collapsed successful Tumbes.

Ecuador is peculiarly prone to earthquakes. In 2016, a quake centered farther northbound connected nan Pacific Coast successful a much sparsely populated area of nan state killed much than 600 people.

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Machala student Katherine Cruz said her location shook truthful severely that she could not moreover get up to time off her room and fly to nan street.

"It was horrible. I had ne'er felt thing for illustration this successful my life," she said.