Earthquake in Ecuador: 233 dead and over 1,500 injured

The earthquake occurred on Saturday, near the city of Muisne, on the West coast of Ecuador, and was felt in almost the entire country

The most affected part of the country is the province of Manabi, also extensive damage was recorded in Guayaquil City, at 300 kilometers from the epicenter. The earthquake was followed by 55 aftershocks, the strongest of which had a magnitude of 5.4 degrees.

The emergency state was declared in six provinces in the country and National Guard members were mobilized to participate in search and rescue operations.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert immediately after the earthquake, but on Sunday morning representatives declared that the threat was almost over and that any risk in this regard would be reviewed by local authorities.

The earthquake had major impact on Manabi Province, as the Mayor Gabriel Alcivar declared for Reuters that there are places fully destroyed. He also mentioned that what happened in Pedernales is catastrophic, as the entire city is destroyed. Earlier, the country deputy Jorge Glas declared it the strongest earthquake that hit Ecuador since 1979.

The President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa declared the national emergency state, calling the population of 16 million inhabitants to stay calm in this situation. More, he added in a telephonic intervention for the National Radio that the country does not need supplies, but instead there is a huge need of support and rescue teams.

Troops of 10,000 military and 3,500 soldiers were sent in the Province. Colombia and Mexico have announced that they have also sent rescue teams in Ecuador.