Deadly 6.8 Quake Strikes Ecuador and Peru – At Least 12 Dead!
Powerful Earthquake Rocks South America
A fierce magnitude 6.8 earthquake slammed southern Ecuador and northern Peru on Saturday, leaving at least 12 people dead and many trapped under rubble. The quake struck just off the Pacific Coast, roughly 50 miles south of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second-largest city.
Devastation and Rescue Efforts Underway
President Guillermo Lasso confirmed the death toll in a grim televised address. In Ecuador’s Andean community of Cuenca, a passenger was killed when a vehicle was crushed by falling debris. Meanwhile, in the coastal state of El Oro, three more lives were lost.
Buildings crumbled in Machala, including a two-story home that collapsed before residents could evacuate. A pier also gave way, and cracked walls trapped unknown numbers inside.
Chaos, Cracks and Power Outages in Guayaquil
Rescue teams worked frantically through streets scattered with debris and dangerous downed power lines. Emergency crews battled to free the trapped as phone and electricity services faltered.
In Guayaquil, a city home to more than 3 million, authorities reported cracked buildings, collapsed walls, and have shut down three major roads to ensure public safety.
The city lies about 170 miles southwest of Ecuador’s capital Quito and remains on high alert.
