Ecuador earthquake kills at least one, wreaks havoc

A strong earthquake rocked the peripheries of Ecuador’s second-largest city on Saturday, killing at least one person, damaging homes and buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets.

The US Geological Survey reported a magnitude 6.8 earthquake in the country’s coastal Guayas region. Located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Guayaquil, it supported a metropolitan area of ​​over three million people.

The Risk Management Secretariat, the South American national emergency agency, has reported one death in the Andean community of Cuenca. The victim was a passenger in a car trapped under the rubble of a house.

In Guayaquil, about 170 miles (270 km) southwest of the capital Quito, authorities reported cracks in buildings and homes and some walls had collapsed. Authorities have ordered the closure of three vehicle tunnels.

Videos shared on social media show people gathering on the streets of Guayaquil and in nearby communities. People reported falling objects into their homes.

A jetty sank in the city of Machala. The quake was also felt in northern Peru.

2019, very strong Magnitude 7.5 earthquake hits southern Ecuadornear the border with Peru.