A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Ecuador early Friday morning, injuring at least 20 people and causing significant damage in the port city of Esmeraldas. The quake, which hit just before 7:00 am local time, was shallow measured at a depth of about 35 kilometers intensifying its impact across the region.
Ecuador’s emergency response services reported that the injured suffered head and other wounds, with the tremor felt as far away as the capital, Quito. “It was very strong,” said former presidential candidate Yaku Perez, speaking from Esmeraldas. “It felt like an eternity, but I guess it was less than a minute.”
Scenes from the city showed collapsed walls, cracked buildings, and facades lying in piles of rubble along the roads. Families gathered in the streets, surveying the extensive damage left behind. Authorities confirmed that at least 60 homes, a health center, and parts of a military building were damaged. Additionally, two roads and a bridge sustained structural harm.
Operations at Petroecuador’s Esmeraldas refinery responsible for producing 111,000 barrels of oil daily were temporarily suspended, as was a nearby pipeline that transports 360,000 barrels a day. The shutdown raised concerns about potential disruptions to the nation’s energy supply.
President Daniel Noboa, recently re-elected, announced that ministers were being dispatched to the affected areas to coordinate emergency aid, the construction of shelters, and humanitarian relief efforts. “The government is with you, and that’s how it will be going forward,” Noboa assured citizens via social media.
Despite the strength of the quake, Ecuadorian authorities confirmed there was no tsunami risk. The tremor was felt across 10 of Ecuador’s 24 provinces, though no injuries were reported in neighboring Colombia.
Ecuador, positioned along the volatile boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, is prone to seismic activity. This earthquake comes just days after Ecuador marked the anniversary of the devastating 2016 quake in Manabi and Esmeraldas, which killed 673 people and injured over 6,300.
Authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage as aftershocks remain a concern for the already shaken communities.
