QUITO: A magnitude 6 point 0 earthquake struck just off the coast of central Ecuador, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, though the government said damage was limited and only five people suffered minor injuries. The government’s ECU 911 safety service said there were no major incidents and a tsunami had been ruled out. Officials said the five people injured, who included an elderly man, were taken to a local hospital. The USGS said the quake’s epicenter was 88.5 km northwest of Portoviejo at a depth of 6.2 miles 10 km below the Pacific seabed. The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.1, struck at 0359 IST. Last year, a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador’s Pacific coast in April, killing more than 650 people. State oil company Petroecuador’s operations remained normal after yesterday’s quake, a spokesman said.
REUTERS
