The quake struck 19km northeast of Bahia de Caraquez on the west coast of Ecuador at 11.19UTC. Tremors came at a depth of 24.73km, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). It is not known yet if there has been any major damage from the quake. Ex-President Rafael Correa tweeted: Strong quake in San Vicente and the bay. I hope everything is okay. “Here in Esmeraldas, it was also felt strongly. “It
reminds me of harder times in my presidency.” The large, bustling city of Bahia de Caraquez is popular with tourists and famed for its beaches. It is located around 360km west of the country’s capital Quito. A magnitude 7.8 quake in the country last year caused widespread devastation. At least 676 people died and further 16,600 people were injured in the disaster. READ MORE
