The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, reported the death of at least 12 people in that country as a result of the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that affected areas in the south of that country this Saturday.
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The president confirmed the death during a press conference to publicize his government’s actions to address the situation created by the earthquake. The number of victims was previously specified in a preliminary report from the National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR).
Lasso explained that 11 people died in El Oro and one in Azuay. He added that there are injured people who are being treated in health centers.
During the installation of the National COE, the president @LassoGuillermo reported:
• The Government has been activated on an emergency basis and the necessary care is provided to those affected by this tremor. pic.twitter.com/J5KUVOq018
– Communication Ecuador ���� (@ComunicacionEc)
March 18, 2023
He explained that houses have been destroyed in those provinces and that he will go to El Oro, the area that he considered most affected. He announced that he would travel accompanied by the Minister of Government, Henry Cucalón, and the Secretary of Risk Management, Cristian Torres.
In addition to El Oro, extensive damage is reported in Azuay, Guayas and Chimborazo. The earthquake was also felt in the provinces of Loja, Manabí and Zamora Chinchipe.
The president convened an extraordinary meeting of the Emergency Operations Committee (COE), which was held in the city of Guayaquil, Guayas province.
In addition, he asked the SNGR to evaluate the situation in the Balao canton, considered the epicenter of the telluric movement, and called on the population to inform themselves through official channels.
According to a statement issued by the COE, several facilities of the Petroecuador company (the Marítimo Balao, Chorrillos, Monteverde, La Liberta and Depósito La Toma Loja terminals) do not register any news. The Esmeraldas-Quito pipeline stopped as a precaution, but resumed operations shortly after. The Guayaquil and Cuenca airports are also operating.
According to the Geophysical Institute, the earthquake occurred at 12:11 local time, at a depth of 44 kilometers and its center was located 29.12 kilometers from Balao (Guayas), with a population of around 30,000 inhabitants. Shortly after another, of magnitude 4.8, was recorded at a depth of 24 kilometers.