International

41 feared dead in powerful Ecuador earthquake

Published

8 years ago

April 17, 2016

The South American country of Ecuador has been hit by a powerful earthquake which reports say has left at least 41 people dead.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake caused “considerable damage” and panic near the epicentre and in Guayaguil, the second most populous city in Ecuador.

The earthquake according to the US Geological Survey was centred 27km south-southeast of Muisne, a sparsely populated area of fishing ports that’s popular with tourists.

The shallow quake considered to be the strongest in decades to hit Ecuador, saw residents running into streets of the capital, Quito which is a hundred miles away for safety and other towns across the nation.

“Based on preliminary information, there are 16 people dead in the city of Portoviejo, 10 in Manta and two in the province of Guayas,” Vice President Jorge Glassaid in a televised address.

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