77 Dead After Powerful 7.8 Earthquake Hits Ecuador, Tsunami Warning Issued
Quito, Ecuador:
At least 77 people were killed and hundreds injured by the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the Pacific coastline late on Saturday, Ecuador's vice president said.
"At this moment, the number of confirmed deaths reaches 77," Jorge Glas said earlier today, in his latest earthquake update. He said more than 588 people are injured.
The earthquake was felt across Ecuador as well as in northern Peru and southern Colombia. Officials have declared a state of emergency in Ecuador's six worst-hit provinces.
![]()
"There is considerable (structural) damage in the area near the epicenter as well as points as far away as Guayaquil," Ecuador's Geophysical Office (IG) said.
Media published photographs of a bridge and the roof of a shopping centre that collapsed in the port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador's most populous city on the Pacific coast.
President Rafael Correa, on a visit to the Vatican, sent a message of support on Twitter.
"Authorities are already out evaluating damage and taking action" as needed," he said.
Glas earlier said on Twitter that a national emergency committee had been activated.
Tsunami warning
With a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), the quake struck at 2358 GMT about 173 km west-northwest of Quito and just 28 kilometres south-southeast of Muisne, according to the US Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes worldwide.
"Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometres of the earthquake epicenter," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
Buildings swayed in Quito but authorities did not immediately report injuries or damage.
The strong movement was felt in northern and southern parts of the Quito area, knocking out electricity in places.
Cristina Duran, 45, grabbed her three pets and stood under a large doorway to avoid shards of glass falling from shattered windows.
"I was frightened. And I just kept asking for it to be over," she told AFP.
Panic on the streets
Aftershocks kept rattling the country, as structural damage was reported in the coastal provinces of Manabi and Guayas.
At the Guayaquil airport passengers awaiting flights dashed out of terminals when they felt the shaking.
"Lights fell down from the ceiling. People were running around in shock," said Luis Quimis, 30, who was waiting to catch a flight to Quito.
In northern Quito, people ran out of their homes frightened, as power lines swayed back and forth and cables danced.
"Oh, my God, it was the biggest and strongest earthquake I have felt in my whole life. It lasted a long time, and I was feeling dizzy. I couldn't walk. ... I wanted to run out into the street, but I couldn't," said Maria Torres, 60.
In fact, two earthquakes jolted the same area just 11 minutes apart, the USGS said. The first had a magnitude of 4.8 and the second of 7.8.
The earthquake also rattled northern Peru and southern Colombia, according to authorities in those countries, although no casualties were reported. Peruvian officials however urged coastal residents to stay away from the beach.
At least 77 people were killed and hundreds injured by the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the Pacific coastline late on Saturday, Ecuador's vice president said.
"At this moment, the number of confirmed deaths reaches 77," Jorge Glas said earlier today, in his latest earthquake update. He said more than 588 people are injured.
The earthquake was felt across Ecuador as well as in northern Peru and southern Colombia. Officials have declared a state of emergency in Ecuador's six worst-hit provinces.
Residents walk on a street amid destroyed buildings following an earthquake, April 16, 2016 in Guayaquil. (AFP Photo)
"There is considerable (structural) damage in the area near the epicenter as well as points as far away as Guayaquil," Ecuador's Geophysical Office (IG) said.
Media published photographs of a bridge and the roof of a shopping centre that collapsed in the port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador's most populous city on the Pacific coast.
President Rafael Correa, on a visit to the Vatican, sent a message of support on Twitter.
"Authorities are already out evaluating damage and taking action" as needed," he said.
Glas earlier said on Twitter that a national emergency committee had been activated.
Tsunami warning
With a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), the quake struck at 2358 GMT about 173 km west-northwest of Quito and just 28 kilometres south-southeast of Muisne, according to the US Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes worldwide.
"Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometres of the earthquake epicenter," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
Buildings swayed in Quito but authorities did not immediately report injuries or damage.
The strong movement was felt in northern and southern parts of the Quito area, knocking out electricity in places.
Cristina Duran, 45, grabbed her three pets and stood under a large doorway to avoid shards of glass falling from shattered windows.
"I was frightened. And I just kept asking for it to be over," she told AFP.
Panic on the streets
Aftershocks kept rattling the country, as structural damage was reported in the coastal provinces of Manabi and Guayas.
At the Guayaquil airport passengers awaiting flights dashed out of terminals when they felt the shaking.
"Lights fell down from the ceiling. People were running around in shock," said Luis Quimis, 30, who was waiting to catch a flight to Quito.
In northern Quito, people ran out of their homes frightened, as power lines swayed back and forth and cables danced.
"Oh, my God, it was the biggest and strongest earthquake I have felt in my whole life. It lasted a long time, and I was feeling dizzy. I couldn't walk. ... I wanted to run out into the street, but I couldn't," said Maria Torres, 60.
In fact, two earthquakes jolted the same area just 11 minutes apart, the USGS said. The first had a magnitude of 4.8 and the second of 7.8.
The earthquake also rattled northern Peru and southern Colombia, according to authorities in those countries, although no casualties were reported. Peruvian officials however urged coastal residents to stay away from the beach.
000
WEPA40 PHEB 170259
TSUPAC
TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 5
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
0256 UTC SUN APR 17 2016
...PTWC FINAL TSUNAMI THREAT MESSAGE...
**** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE *****
THIS MESSAGE IS ISSUED FOR INFORMATION ONLY IN SUPPORT OF THE
UNESCO/IOC PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING AND MITIGATION SYSTEM AND IS
MEANT FOR NATIONAL AUTHORITIES IN EACH COUNTRY OF THAT SYSTEM.
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES WILL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF
ALERT FOR EACH COUNTRY AND MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL OR MORE REFINED
INFORMATION.
**** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE **** NOTICE *****
PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
---------------------------------
* MAGNITUDE 7.7
* ORIGIN TIME 2359 UTC APR 16 2016
* COORDINATES 0.2 NORTH 80.1 WEST
* DEPTH 10 KM / 6 MILES
* LOCATION OFF THE COAST OF ECUADOR
EVALUATION
----------
* AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 7.7 OCCURRED
OFF THE COAST OF ECUADOR AT 2359 UTC ON SATURDAY APRIL 16
2016.
* BASED ON ALL DATA AVAILABLE TO THIS CENTER... THE TSUNAMI
THREAT FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE HAS NOW MOSTLY PASSED. ANY
REMAINING THREAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN
IMPACTED AREAS.
TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST...UPDATED
---------------------------------
* THE TSUNAMI THREAT HAS NOW LARGELY PASSED.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
-------------------
* GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY IMPACTED COASTAL
AREAS SHOULD MONITOR CONDITIONS AT THE COAST TO DETERMINE IF
AND WHEN IT IS SAFE TO RESUME NORMAL ACTIVITIES.
* PERSONS LOCATED NEAR IMPACTED COASTAL AREAS SHOULD STAY ALERT
FOR INFORMATION AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FROM LOCAL
AUTHORITIES.
* REMAIN OBSERVANT AND EXERCISE NORMAL CAUTION NEAR THE SEA.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS
-----------------
* MINOR SEA LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS OF UP TO 0.3 METERS ABOVE AND
BELOW THE NORMAL TIDE MAY CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
TSUNAMI OBSERVATIONS
--------------------
* THE FOLLOWING ARE TSUNAMI WAVE OBSERVATIONS FROM COASTAL
AND/OR DEEP-OCEAN SEA LEVEL GAUGES AT THE INDICATED LOCATIONS.
THE MAXIMUM TSUNAMI HEIGHT IS MEASURED WITH RESPECT TO THE
NORMAL TIDE LEVEL.
GAUGE TIME OF MAXIMUM WAVE
COORDINATES MEASURE TSUNAMI PERIOD
GAUGE LOCATION LAT LON (UTC) HEIGHT (MIN)
-------------------------------------------------------------
LA LIBERTAD EC 2.2S 80.9W 0218 0.14M/ 0.5FT 70
NEXT UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
--------------------------------------
* THIS WILL BE THE FINAL STATEMENT ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
NEW INFORMATION IS RECEIVED OR THE SITUATION CHANGES.
* AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE FROM THE U.S.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT
EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV/EARTHQUAKES -ALL LOWER CASE-.
* FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT MAY BE FOUND AT
PTWC.WEATHER.GOV AND AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.
* COASTAL REGIONS OF HAWAII... AMERICAN SAMOA... GUAM... AND
CNMI SHOULD REFER TO PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES
SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE PLACES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT
PTWC.WEATHER.GOV.
* COASTAL REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA... OREGON... WASHINGTON...
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD ONLY REFER TO U.S. NATIONAL
TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT
NTWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV.