At least 7 houses destroyed and 50 others affected in the earthquake, Ecuadorian government speak on Saturday. The facade of a building collapsed onto a vehicle in Cuenca, killing at least one person, and 17 educational buildings as well as 31 healthcare-related structures were also affected.
Photos posted on social media show the dome of the Virgen De La Nube Church in La Troncal severely cracked, leaving holes in the wall of the clock tower.
In Peru, local media report that a 4-year-old girl in the Tumbes region was killed after her house collapsed, citing a statement from Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otárola.
Ecuador has a history of deadly earthquakes and intense seismic activity. The country of about 17.8 million people in 2016 experienced a major disaster of magnitude 7.8 in the northwest. kill hundreds. Earthquakes in northern Ecuador also killed at least 1,000 people in 1987in one of its most devastating natural disasters.
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso speak on Saturday, he visited the hard-hit city of Machala, where he assessed the damage and met with victims in the hospital.
“I want to express my solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives and solidarity with those injured in the earthquake,” he said.
Samantha Schmidt contributed to this report.
