The U.S. Geological Survey said this is the strongest earthquake since 1979 to hit Ecuador, it was centered 27 kilometers (16 miles) south-southeast of Muisne, a sparsely populated area of fishing ports that’s popular with tourists.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the tsunami threat from the quake has now “mostly passed.”
The quake was felt in the Ecuadorean capital of Quito for some 40 seconds and all over the pacific coast, even the shaking was felt in Colombian border.
Photos shared by witnesses showed a collapsed highway. The emergency services confirmed a partial bridge collapse and rescuers were dispatched to the scene.
In the lasts hours presidents from Latin American countries sent their solidarity message by the social network and they showed their support and collaboration.
Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, who was in an official trip to Europe, announced that he was returned to his homeland and he was directly to Manta, the most devastated area.
By his official Twitter account he left a message with directions of how the government was acting to help people, rescue the ones in affected buildings and his gratitude for the solidarity.
The Cuban collaboration in the medical sector began in 2012 and at the moment has over 800 workers in that country.
