Quito: The death toll from Ecuador's worst earthquake in decades rose to 413 on Tuesday as traumatized survivors rested amid the rubble of their homes and rescuers dug for survivors in the Andean nation's shattered coastal region.
"We are counting 413 people dead at present," the country's security ministry said. The new toll from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Ecuador on Saturday evening updates an earlier count of 350.
More than 3,000 people were also injured in Saturday's 7.8 magnitude quake, which ripped apart buildings and roads and knocked out power.
While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, the disaster will likely worsen the OPEC nation's economic performance this year. The small, oil-dependent country has already been battered by the tumble in crude prices.
The quake, felt across Ecuador, northern Peru and southern Colombia, struck at 6:58 local time Saturday evening (2358 GMT), lasting for about a minute and was centered approximately 170 kilometers northwest of the capital Quito.
"We are counting 413 people dead at present," the country's security ministry said. The new toll from the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Ecuador on Saturday evening updates an earlier count of 350.
More than 3,000 people were also injured in Saturday's 7.8 magnitude quake, which ripped apart buildings and roads and knocked out power.
While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, the disaster will likely worsen the OPEC nation's economic performance this year. The small, oil-dependent country has already been battered by the tumble in crude prices.
The quake, felt across Ecuador, northern Peru and southern Colombia, struck at 6:58 local time Saturday evening (2358 GMT), lasting for about a minute and was centered approximately 170 kilometers northwest of the capital Quito.
