Earthquake in Ecuador caused landslides in many places, and the government launched emergency operations after the disaster
On the afternoon of March 18, local time, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso held a press conference to introduce in detail the impact of the earthquake that day on the country.
Raso said that after the earthquake, the government instructed the Emergency Operations Committee to coordinate the earthquake disaster assessment and disaster relief work. He confirmed that the earthquake was felt in 13 provinces across the country, and houses collapsed in many places. So far, 12 people have died and many others have been injured. Search and rescue work is still in progress.
The most serious disaster was Puna Island in Guayaquil Bay on the Pacific coast of the country. Preliminary statistics showed that at least 10 houses on the island suffered structural collapse. Although the earthquake that day did not trigger a tsunami warning, some ports and coastal construction projects have announced temporary closures. Affected by the earthquake, landslides occurred in some mountainous areas of Ecuador, and the affected road sections have been temporarily closed. Russo said that the government will provide necessary medical care, temporary housing and other assistance to the affected people. (Headquarters reporter Gao Xue)