Ecuador Earthquake: Rescue Operations in Full Swing as Death Toll Rises to 350, and over 2,500 Wounded

Ecuador earthquake
An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck Ecuador's northwestern coast on April 16. |

Rescue operations are underway to pull out survivors from under the debris of collapsed buildings after an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 rocked Ecuador on the evening of April 16.

The death toll from the quake has risen to 350, according to the latest reports, and more than 2,500 people have been injured, making this the strongest earthquake in the country since 1979.

The epicenter of the quake was near the town of Muisne in Esmeraldas province about 105 miles northwest of the capital city Quito, which is a sparsely populated region comprising many tourist beaches. The depth of earthquake was relatively shallow at 11.9 miles, the US Geological Survey said.

The tremors caused buildings to cave in, and damaged highways along the Pacific coast, over an area spanning hundreds of miles.

The government of Ecuador has deployed 10,000 military troops and over 3,000 policemen to aid in the rescue operations, as search teams continue to look for victims and survivors.

Vice President Jorge Glas said in a press brief that authorities have a long list of missing people and the number of victims may go up.

The province of Manabi, bordering Esmeraldas on the south, sustained the most damage where about 200 people died, and over 350 buildings collapsed. But widespread destruction was also reported from other parts of the country.

Survivor accounts describe the horror of the quake, which lasted for more than one minute.

"The third floor collapsed on top of us. They are all there, my family, my sister, my children. My God, may the help arrive," one woman was quoted as saying by BBC.

Another survivor was driving back to her home in Portoviejo in Manabi province at the time of earthquake. "It looks like a war zone," she said. "It's incredible what was happened to us - that our city is destroyed and we're experiencing such anguish and pain."

A national emergency management officer Ricardo Peñaherrera told CNN: "The lack of water and communication remains a big problem. Many highways are in bad shape, especially in the mountainous area because it has been raining recently due to (the) El Niño weather phenomenon."

The neighboring countries of Venezuela and Mexico sent food and humanitarian aid to the quake-stricken country. Over 3,000 food packages and 8,000 sleeping kits were delivered to the affected areas, according to Associated Press. Columbia helped in the rescue operations by sending search teams, while also providing for aid through helicopters and navy. Several other countries including Peru, Spain, Mexico, and EU have pledged support.

The Ecuador quake was six times as strong as the recent 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan, and released 20 times greater energy, said David Rothery, professor of planetary geosciences at The Open University in UK.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed his condolences to the victims of the earthquake.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected," he said. "We applaud the courage and skill of the first responders and of the talented Ecuadorian medical professionals, who are working so hard to find survivors and save lives."