A powerful earthquake struck southern Ecuador and northern Peru on Saturday, resulting in at least four deaths, people trapped under rubble, and rescue teams searching for survivors amidst the debris and downed power lines. The quake, with a magnitude of approximately 6.8, was reported by the US Geological Survey and centered just off the Pacific coast, about 50 miles south of Guayaquil. Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso urged residents to remain calm as multiple casualties were reported, including a passenger in a car crushed by rubble in Cuenca, and three deaths in the state of El Oro. Firefighters and the National Police were working to assess damage and rescue people, although the interrupted electricity and telephone services made their task more difficult. While some buildings and homes in Guayaquil and surrounding areas sustained damage, there was no threat of a tsunami. Peru, which also felt the earthquake, did not report any deaths or injuries, though the old walls of an Army barracks collapsed in Tumbes. Ecuador has experienced earthquakes before and is thus particularly prone to them. In 2016, for example, a stronger quake in a less populated region of the country killed over 600 people.
At Least 4 Dead in Ecuador Earthquake; Widespread Damage.
