A strong 6.8 earthquake hit the coast of Ecuador, killing 4 people World news
A powerful earthquake hit Ecuador on Saturday, killing at least four people, according to a government statement.
The earthquake struck at a depth of about 66 kilometers and had a magnitude of 6.8, the US Geological Survey said on its website. The Ecuadorian government put the magnitude at 6.5. Local news reports say damage to a number of homes and buildings in the Guayas area.
One person died when a house collapsed on their car in the city of Cuenca, while three others were killed in the Santa Rosa region, about 530 km (329 miles) southwest of Quito. Several others were trapped under the debris, the government added.
The Esmeraldas oil route to the capital Quito was temporarily suspended, but is operating again, while workers have been evacuated as a precaution from the offshore liquid gas plant and two terminals. There are also blackouts in some areas.
Ecuador is on the so-called ring of fire around the Pacific and is a regular site of earthquakes. The deadliest earthquake was in 2016, when more than 600 people died.
Social media posts show a collapsed building in the coastal town of Machala, according to a video on Twitter.
Another building was damaged further inland in the city of Cuenca, where part of the facade fell on a car.
