Strong Earthquake kills at least 77 in Ecuador, toll expected to rise

Ecuador launched rescue operations on Sunday after its biggest earthquake in decades killed at least 77 people, caused devastation in coastal populations and left an unknown number trapped in ruins.

The 7.8 magnitude quake struck off Ecuador's Pacific coast on Saturday night and was felt around the Andean nation of 16 million people, causing panic in the capital Quito and collapsing buildings in the large commercial city of Guayaquil.

Northwestern coastal areas nearest the quake were worst affected, including Pedernales, a tourist spot with beaches and palm trees, and nearby Cojimies. Information was scant from there due to poor communications and transport chaos.

There are people trapped in various places and we are starting rescue operations, Vice President Jorge Glas said on Sunday morning before boarding a plane to the area. Nearly 600 people were injured. The toll of 77 dead and 588 injured was bound to rise, he said. A state of emergency was declared in six provinces.

There are villages that are totally devastated, Pedernales' major Gabriel Alcivar, said in a radio interview, adding that "dozens and dozens" had died in the rustic zone.

Authorities said there were 135 aftershocks in the Pedernales area. One photo on social media purporting to be the entrance to Pedernales showed a torn up road with a crushed car in the middle and people standing behind. In Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, rubble lay in the streets and a bridge fell on top of a car.

About 13,500 security force personnel were mobilized to keep order around Ecuador, and $600 million in credit from multilateral lenders was immediately activated for the emergency, the government said.
(Source: CNN)