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Tsunami
waves of up to 1m possible in Ecuador after 7.8 quake
RT,
17
April, 2016
A
strong 7.8 earthquake has struck Ecuador's coastline, triggering a
possible tsunami wave warning along some 300 miles of the coasts of
both Ecuador and Colombia. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
forecast waves of up to one meter above the tide level.
Initially
reported as 7.4 by USGS, the earthquake was centered at a shallow
depth of 10 km (6 miles) some 107 miles (173 km) west northwest of
the capital Quito. Some 10 minutes prior to the 7.8 jolt, the same
area was hit by a 4.8 magnitude quake. The Ecuadorian Civilian Space
Agency (EXA) warned that powerful aftershocks are possible for the
next 24 hours.
“Hazardous
tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 km of the
epicenter along the coasts of Ecuador and Colombia,” PTWC said.
CCTVNEWS
#BREAKING M7.4 earthquake strikes off northwest Ecuador coast (USGS)
The
tsunami warning center added that a “destructive pacific-wide
tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.”
There
were no immediate reports of casualties, but reports on social media
suggested that the quake caused some significant damage.
Emergency
services reported that people were trapped underneath the rubble of a
“collapsed structure” in the coastal city of Guayaquil. Guayaquil
is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador, with around
2.69 million people in the metropolitan area.
Daniel
@alejandraoraa en Guayaquil, Ecuador ahora despues del terremoto
Photos
shared by witnesses showed what appears to be a collapsed highway.
The emergency services confirmed a partial bridge collapse and
rescuers were dispatched to the scene.
Bomberos Guayaquil
Puente colapsado en Av de las Américas, tomar precauciones. @BomberosGYE atendiendo emergencias.
Strong
shaking was felt in the Ecuadorean capital of Quito for some 40
seconds, according to AP, with people fleeing buildings in panic.
Quito airport was reportedly evacuated over security concerns.
Some
parts of Quito were left without power and telephone services, with
residents using messaging apps such as WhatsApp for communication,
Reuters reported.
An update
An update
Ecuador earthquake of 7.8 magnitude kills dozens
A
powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Ecuador has killed at least 77
people and injured more than 500, Vice-President Jorge Glas says.
The
quake struck at 18:58 local time on Saturday (23:58 GMT) near the
northern coastal town of Muisne.
Widespread
severe damage is reported, with a bridge destroyed as far south as
Guayaquil about 300km (190 miles) way.
A
state of emergency has been declared in six provinces and the
National Guard has been mobilised.
The
quake, the country's largest in decades, also shook buildings in the
capital, Quito.
President
Rafael Correa is cutting short his trip to Italy to return home. He
called for calm, saying on Twitter: "Our infinite love to the
families of the dead."
Mr
Glas said that at least 77 people had died and 588 had been injured,
and that emergency services, police and the army were "in a
state of maximum alert to protect the lives of citizens".
Gabriel
Alcivar, mayor of the town of Pedernale, which is close to the
epicentre, said: "We're trying to do the most we can but there's
almost nothing we can do."
He
said dozens of buildings had been flattened and looting had broken
out.
"This
wasn't just a house that collapsed, it was an entire town," Mr
Alcivar said.
Serious
damage was also reported in the city of Manta, with an airport tower
among the buildings destroyed.
Manta
resident Ramon Solorzano told Reuters: "Most people are out in
the streets with backpacks on, heading for higher ground. The streets
are cracked.
The power is out and phones are down."
The power is out and phones are down."
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