Deadly 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Devastates Ecuador

[TBoneTX 43,433]

Maps and photos are available via the link here.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/breaking-78-magnitude-earthquake-rattles-ecuador/56759949

A powerful and deadly earthquake shook the coast of Ecuador on Saturday evening, killing more than 400 people and injuring over 2,500 others.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near the coast and was a shallow quake with the epicenter occurring just 11.9 miles (19.2 km) below the earth's surface, according to the USGS.

The depth and proximity to the ocean caused concern of a tsunami for a time, with waves of 1 to 3 feet (0.3 to 1 meter) occurring along the coast of Ecuador.

The tsunami threat had subsided early Sunday morning local time.

According to The Associated Press, residents who were forced to evacuate coastal towns due to the tsunami threat have now been allowed to return home.

Dozens of aftershocks have rattled the area since the initial earthquake, many of which ranging from a magnitude 4.5 and magnitude 5.5.

Emergency workers are having a difficult time getting to the hardest-hit areas as landslides have closed numerous main roads.

Weather could exacerbate this problem, as showers and thunderstorms threaten central and eastern Ecuador through Monday.

The western portion of the country is forecast to be drier, though a brief shower or thunderstorm is not out of the question.

On Monday, the Ecuadorean government announced that more than 400 people have been killed and over 2,500 are injured.

There have been numerous reports of structural damage around Ecuador as a result of the major earthquake.

There has only been one earthquake larger than this tremor in the past year and that was an 8.3-magnitude earthquake that occurred just off the coast of Chile in September 2015.

[Alaska2012 462]

When you read things like this you realize how important infrastructure is. We had a 7.2 up here in Alaska a couple of months ago and even though I was sure the house was going to roll off the foundation nothing got damaged. And there were no severe damages or injuries reported at all..

[TBoneTX 43,433]

Alaska is part of a first-world country...

[Alaska2012 462]

You don't say?!

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Japan had an earthquake right before and after this earthquake. Are they on the same plates?

[TBoneTX 43,433]

You don't say?!

With wryness...

[blest.but.strest 50]

Japan had an earthquake right before and after this earthquake. Are they on the same plates?

No. They are not related

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Is your wife's family okay?

[TBoneTX 43,433]

Mrs. T-B.'s family felt the "terremoto" (heck, all of Ecu did), but no one was hurt and no property was damaged. Even her friends' families who live in the hardest-hit areas escaped injury. However, she was in tears tonight as she showed me pictures of the absolutely terrible damage in Porto Viejo and Manta, two coastal cities. The death and damage tolls are staggering.

Amazing to me is that Rafael Correa, the Hugo Chavez-wannabe quasi-dictator of Ecu, is accepting aid from overseas.

An Ecu member here tells me that some aid trucks were on the way to the disaster areas but were sacked on the way. Infernal looters...

[SantyAndAllie 155]

Was wondering how your family was, TBone! Glad they're safe. Ours are, too. We're devastated for those whose loved ones are missing or no longer here. Santys brother & a group from a missions organizations went to the coast to aid with the relief efforts and help get trapped people out of buildings. The wreckage is truly terrible.

[TBoneTX 43,433]

I was wondering about you & S-Hueso, too, A-Bonette. Too bad that we can't all pile onto a plane to go down to help.

Mrs. T-B. said something about a 6.2 aftershock today. All that they need...

Edited April 21, 2016 by TBoneTX

[TBoneTX 43,433]

Mrs. T-B. says that it was magnitude 6.5, at 3 a.m., in the same areas. Ironically, not much more was damaged, because there was not much that remained undamaged.

Mama-Mrs.-T-B. apparently felt movements in her hometown, in southeastern Ecu on the edge of the Amazon, at around 4 p.m.

Mrs. T-B. says that, in addition to the known devastation in Portoviejo and Manta, the town of Pedernales essentially no longer exists. It's matchsticks.

[Dashinka 23,382]

No. They are not related

It is hard to definitively say they are unrelated. Though they are not on the same plate, both areas are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, so there may be some relationship, however it would be hard to prove.

[TBoneTX 43,433]

A whole bunch of smaller aftershocks apparently keep occurring...

[Jacque67 7,328]

A whole bunch of smaller aftershocks apparently keep occurring...

Aftershocks are frightening...esp if no contact with the outside world. This reminds me of the March 11th one we had ( plus tsunami)....we all slept with our coats and shoes on in case we had to escape the building at night. Things are miserable too in Fukuoka. My heart goes out to all the people suffering in Ecuador, and their families ...I predict the aftershocks will continue for at least 2 weeks.