Quito, Feb 23 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Ecuadorian authorities activated the provincial Emergency Operations Committees (COE) after two earthquakes were registered in Macas, Morona Santiago province, and Guayaquil, in Guayas.
Alexandra Ocles, head of the National Risk and Emergency Management Service, said that the authorities are carrying out an information survey throughout the country, taking into account the reports from several cities where the earthquakes were strongly felt.
The first 7.6 magnitude quake was recorded at 5:17 local time in Macas, followed by an aftershock of 6.06 degrees at 5:20 local time, while independently, the second 5.90 magnitude quake was reported in Guayaquil, at 5:40 local time, with an aftershock of 3.5 degrees.
‘No structural damages were reported,’ the official said in telephone statements to television news reports.
Ocles stated that no human victims were reported, but to have a real assessment of the damages, the COE, in charge of collecting relevant data in situ, was activated.
Technician Monica Segovia, of the Ecuadorian Geophysical Institute, confirmed that they were two different events, and they are not related.
The tremors were strongly felt in Morona Santiago, Azuay, Cañar, Guayas, Manabi, Loja, El Oro, Santa Elena, Bolivar, Zamora Chinchipe and Pichincha provinces.
National authorities called on the population to remain calm, have the emergency plan and backpack ready, and be informed through official channels. — NNN-PRENSA LATINA