A 6.7-magnitude earthquake rocks the coastal Guayas region, damaging homes and buildings.
A powerful earthquake struck the area around Ecuador’s second largest city, killing at least four people, damaging homes and buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets.
The US Geological Survey has reported a 6.7-magnitude earthquake off the coast of the country’s Guayas region on Saturday. It was centered about 80 km (50 mi) south of Guayaquil, which anchors a metro area of more than 3 million people.
President Guillermo Lasso tweeted a message asking residents to remain calm.
The South American country’s emergency response agency, the Risk Management Secretariat, said one person died in the Andean community of Cuenca. The victim was a passenger in a car trapped under the rubble of a house. The agency said three other people died in the coastal state of El Oro.
In Guayaquil, about 270 km (170 miles) southwest of the capital Quito, officials reported cracks in homes and other buildings as well as some collapsed walls. The authorities ordered the closure of three road tunnels.
Videos shared on social media showed people gathering in the streets of Guayaquil and surrounding communities. People reported falling objects inside their homes.
A video posted online shows the TV show’s three presenters moving the set from their studio desks.
He initially tried to pass it off as a minor earthquake but soon shied away from the camera. One presenter indicated that the show would close to commercial, while another repeated, “My God. Oh my God.”
A ferry sank in Machala town. Tremors were also felt in northern Peru.
