Collapsed and other damaged houses, fallen poles and blackouts aroused the fears that Ecuadorians felt on April 16, 2016, when an earthquake measuring 7.8 degrees on the Richter scale sowed death and desolation in the provinces of Manabi and Esmeraldas.
yesterday, to 23:28 on March 26, 2022, a new earthquake of 6 degrees on the Richter scale shook Esmeraldas and it was felt in other provinces of Ecuador. For the people of Esmeralda it was a nightmare night, as the strong aftershocks kept people on the streets and in areas considered safe.
The topic of conversation was what happened in 2016, when the earthquake, whose epicenter was located between the parishes of Pedernales and Cojimíesleft 673 dead, thousands injured and extensive structural damage in several provinces.
On this occasion, the epicenter was located just 11 kilometers to the south from the city of Esmeraldas, where the shock spread panic and led numerous people to abandon their homes after several parts of the city lost power.
The people who were in the Las Palmas spawere evacuated by members of the Police, given the warning of a possible tsunami, which was later discarded.
The sea was rough. In some sectors such as Santas Vainas, Betania neighborhood, June 26, structural damage is reported in some homes.
Staff of the Fire Department concentrated to identify more affected sectors. Aftershocks will continue, citizens are advised to take precautions.
As in 2016, the earthquake this Saturday was felt in much of the country. Specifically in 11 of the 24 provinces that make up Ecuador, with a strong intensity in Esmeraldas and moderate in Pichincha, as well as in Manabí, Cotopaxi and Santo Domingo, according to data from the National Risk and Emergency Management Service (SNGRE).
more moves
According to him Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic Schoolat least two major aftershocks were recorded in the two hours after the first telluric movement, the most important of which was 5.1 magnitude on the Richter scale, at 00:53 local time (5:53 GMT) .
Before that, at 23:39 (4:39 GMT) there was another of magnitude 3.9 that occurred just eleven minutes after the first tremor.
Material damage was reported on social networks in homes and buildings in Esmeraldas, such as collapsed balconies and cornices, as well as fallen power poles on cars, while the Delfina Torres de Concha Hospital suffered the fall of panels and some false ceilings that did not prevent it from continuing. with your activity. The patients were even treated outside the health house.
In Atacames there were also citizen reports of how the population was evacuated.
On #attackme the residents began to evacuate, after the strong earthquake of 6.2 degrees that shook the province of #emeralds. The area remained without light for about 15 minutes. Little by little calm returns and no damage is reported, initially. #Ecuador pic.twitter.com/CXf6g2tKYc
— Abei JM (@abigailj23) March 27, 2022
The power supply was restored in the municipalities of Esmeraldas and Atacames, as reported by the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) province in a statement.
Faced with this situation, the President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lassoindicated that both the national and provincial authorities are evaluating the damage caused by this mishap and detailed that “inter-institutional teams are in the territory to attend to any need.”
Ecuador is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 85% of the world’s seismic activity occurs, in its case due to the tension between the Nazca plate and the South American continental shelf. EFE-THE TIME
