Ecuador Earthquake: At Least 12 Dead In A 6.8-Magnitude Earthquake

It seems that earthquakes have been an extremely common disaster this year. First, the terrible series of earthquakes that wrecked the countries of Turkey and Syria. There were even a series of terrible earthquakes in the northeastern states of India earlier this year. Now, it is Ecuador that is the site of recent terrible earthquakes. In a tragic event, the coastal region of Ecuador and the northern region of Peru were shaken by an earthquake.

Ecuador Earthquake: 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks The Region

A massive earthquake hit Ecuador in the afternoon of Saturday, the 18th of March. The earthquake was recorded to be a whopping 6.8 magnitudes on the Richter Scale. The epicentre of this massive earthquake was Balao, a municipality in Ecuador which is located near the Peruvian border.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was 66 kilometres deep and occurred at 12:12 PM local time. The earthquake wreaked havoc on the infrastructure and many buildings fell. A lot of vehicles were also found crushed under the debris of the earthquake.

According to many sources, at least 12 people have been killed and 1 has been injured. One of the deaths happened in the province of Azuay while the other 11 happened in the province of El Oro. There are many other sources where the reported death is 13 instead of 12.

Also Read: Nicobar Hit By 5.0 Magnitude Earthquake This Morning

Emergency Teams Mobilised & Rescue Operations Are Underway

According to the officials, the emergency operations teams have been mobilised and rescue operations are underway. Reports suggest that since the earthquake was felt much stronger in the Ecuadorian region than in the Peruvian regions, Peru hasn’t suffered from much structural damage.

The tremors of the earthquake were also felt in cities like Guayaquil, Manta, Manabi, Quito, and more. One of the officials of the risk management team in Quito reported that one of the facades of the building collapsed onto a vehicle nearby and crushed a person.

Another in the El Oro province said that a tower toppled and crushed three people. Apart from these fatalities, however, the officials have assured that no other significant damage has been incurred.

Also Read: IIT Study Warns About A Devastating Earthquake In Uttarakhand’s Mussoorie & Nainital

Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons