ECUADOR EARTHQUAKEBy: Emily Masabanda

College: Jezreel International Christian AcademyCourse: 1 st bachellor Isaias

INFORMATION

The 2016 earthquake in Ecuador was an earthquake occurred at 18:58 ECT of 16 April 2016 , with its epicenter between Pedernales and Cojimíes Canton Pedernales , in the Ecuadorian province of Manabi parishes. With a magnitude of 7.8 Mw , is the strongest earthquake felt in the country since the earthquake in Colombia in 1979 , and the most destructive earthquakes in Ecuador since 1987. The seismic waves arrived in southwestern Colombia , feeling in cities of that country as Cali, Pasto, Popayan and Neiva ; and to the northern border of Peru , in places like Tumbes , Piura , Cajamarca , Lambayeque and Amazonas .

TECTONICSIn Ecuador are frequent earthquakes and their cause is almost always attributable to the tectonic processes of large subduction zones along the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

This earthquake , with its epicenter on the coast of northern Ecuador , falls within this context of plate tectonics. Its origin is the thrust on the border or near the boundary between the South American continental plate and the Pacific ( Nazca plate ) .

In the place where the earthquake , the Pacific plate subducting toward the east at a speed of 61 millimeters per year.

This production mechanism of earthquakes is common to the entire area of the coastline of Chile, Peru and Ecuador ( Ring of Fire ) and is the source of the biggest earthquake known to human history (which reached a magnitude of 9.5 on the seismological scale of Richter scale and occurred in southern Chile in 1960

SEVERAL AREAS OF THE COUNTRY

AFFECTEDThe earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the moment magnitude scale rocked Ecuador's Pacific coast at 18:58 hours , the quake to its epicenter , located between the provinces of Manabi and Esmeraldas was mainly felt in nearby towns.

Some of the places are:• Pedernales• Manabi• Esmeraldas• Guayas• Los Rios• Santo Domingo• Pichincha • Imbabura • Tunhuragua

Manabi

Pedernales:

Casualties

At least 659 people were killed and more than 27,732 others were injured in the earthquake. It was the worst natural disaster to hit Ecuador since the 1949 Ambato earthquake. Over 300 fatalities occurred in the cities of Manta and Portoviejo, both of which are located in Manabi province. President Rafael Correa stated that the reconstruction would cost "billions of dollars."

The number of fatalities was estimated as several hundred within thirty minutes of the earthquake. By April 24, the fatality count had reached 654, and 8,340 had been reported as injured.

In Colombia, near the city of Cali, one miner died as a result of the earthquake, becoming the only reported death outside of Ecuador.

Deaths by citizenship

Aftermath

In response to the earthquake, a state of emergency was declared throughout the country and the national guard was mobilized to assist in rescue and relief efforts. Approximately 10,000 military personnel and 3,500 police officers were deployed. President Rafael Correa cut his trip to Italy short in order to return to Ecuador. Hydroelectric dams and oil pipelines were shut down as a precautionary measure. On April 20, a 6.1–6.2 magnitude aftershock struck 15 miles west of Muisne around 3:30AM, local time.The quake had a depth of about 9 miles.José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil was also closed due to communication issues.

A UNICEF representative reported that the government is considering relocating "one or two" towns in the aftermath of the earthquake. There were also concerns about the Zika virus outbreak and the risk of dengue fever for people displaced by the quake.

Days after the earthquake, the country experienced difficulties distributing food and water to those in need, including the over 26 thousand survivors relocated to shelters. President Correa acknowledged that the poor infrastructure of the country might be to blame.Increasing taxes and offering government bonds to other countries are suggested proposals for paying off the estimated 3 billions dollars in damages

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Ecuador_earthquake https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terremoto_de_Ecuador_de_2016