CNN
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At the least 12 folks died after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck southern Ecuador on Saturday afternoon, in keeping with authorities officers.
The earthquake struck close to the southern city of Baláo and was greater than 65 km (practically 41 miles) deep, in keeping with america Geological Survey.
Eleven folks died within the province of El Oro and one individual died within the province of Azuay, in keeping with the communications division for Ecuador’s president mentioned. In an earlier assertion, authorities mentioned the individual in Azuay was killed when a wall collapsed onto a automotive and that at the very least three of the victims in El Oro died when a safety digital camera tower got here down.
Individuals who had been injured had been being handled at hospitals, the Presidency added, however didn’t present additional particulars.
The USGS gave the tremor an “orange alert,” saying “important casualties are probably and the catastrophe is probably widespread.”
“Previous occasions with this alert degree have required a regional or nationwide degree response,” the USGS added. It additionally estimated harm and financial losses had been doable.
Kin of a CNN producer in the western port metropolis of Guayaquil mentioned they felt “very sturdy” tremors.
CNN afiliate Ecuavisa reported structural harm to buildings in Cuenca, one of many nation’s largest cities. The historic metropolis is within the UN record of world heritage websites.
There is no such thing as a tsunami warning in impact for the realm, in keeping with the US Nationwide Climate Service.
The airports of Guayaquil and Cuenca remained open and operational, the nation’s assertion mentioned.