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Ecuador earthquake toll touches 413

by IBNS 18 Apr 2016, 08:38 pm

Quito, Ecuador, Apr 19 (IBNS): The death toll int he earthquake which hit Ecuador on Saturday has touched 413, media reports said on Tuesday.

More than 2000 people were injured in the quake which rocked the nation on Saturday.

Rescue workers are still fighting to find survivors from below the rubble.

"Teams from Switzerland, Spain and several Latin American countries have arrived to join the search effort," BBC reported.

The tremors of the earthquake were felt across Ecuador as well as in northern Peru and southern Colombia.

According to reports, a state of emergency has been declared in Ecuador's six worst-hit provinces.

While the Government of Ecuador is leading the response to continue helping people and communities affected by Saturday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake, the United Nations announced it has deployed relief teams to provide additional support.

“The Secretary-General commends the Ecuadorean authorities for their leadership in the rescue effort and in providing relief to affected communities,” said a statement issued by Ban Ki-moon’s spokesperson.

It further indicated that Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien, who leads the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), has deployed a Disaster and Assessment Coordination (UNDAC) team, which stands ready to provide additional support.