Four killed as strong earthquake shakes coastal Ecuador

Rescue workers stand next to a car crushed by debris after an earthquake in Cuenca, Ecuador, Saturday, March 18, 2023.. The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 about 50 miles south of Guayaquil (Xavier Caivinagua/AP/PA)

A strong earthquake shook the region around Ecuador’s second-largest city on Saturday, killing at least four people, damaging homes and buildings, and sending panicked residents into the streets.

The US Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 in the country’s coastal Guayas region. It was centred about 50 miles (80 kilometres) south of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second-largest city.