4 dead after 6.8 magnitude earthquake hits Ecuador

At least four people died after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck a coastal region of Ecuador.

A damaged car and rubble from a house affected by the earthquake in Cuenca, Ecuador. (Reuters photo)

By Reuters: A magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook a coastal region of Ecuador and northern Peru midday Saturday, leaving at least four people dead and resulting in some structural damage.

“I call for calm and for people to get informed through official channels,” said Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso in a tweet.

The quake, which the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured at magnitude 6.8, struck at a depth of 66.4 km (41.3 miles) about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the city of Balao in the province of Guayas.

ALSO READ | Magnitude 4.3 earthquake jolts Fayzabad in Afghanistan