One Killed, 85 Injured in 6.8-magnitude Aftershock in Ecuador’s North Coast

Quito (PNA/Xinhua) — One killed and 85 others injured in a new earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck Ecuador’s north coast on Wednesday, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said.

The quake occurred at 11:46 a.m. local time (1646 GMT), with the epicenter in the northern province of Esmeraldas at a shallow depth of 15 km, said the country’s Geophysical Institute.

The powerful earthquake has caused panic in various parts of the country, including the capital city of Quito where citizens fled their homes, the agency said.

Earlier Wednesday morning, another 6.8-magnitude quake was centered to the south of Muisne Canton, also in Esmeraldas, with a depth of 32 km below the earth’s surface.

According to the Geophysical Institute, the two earthquakes were aftershocks from the 7.8-magnitude quake that rocked Ecuador’s northern coast on April 16, killing at least 661 people and injuring around 16,600.

Hundreds of aftershocks were recorded following the April earthquake, with Wednesday’s two being the strongest so far. (PNA/Xinhua) FFC/EBP