A 5.8-magnitude earthquake followed by more than 20 aftershocks rattled Ecuador's Pacific coast before dawn yesterday, causing one death and heavy damage to hotels and homes in resort towns.
The northwestern province of Esmeraldas — hit hard by a devastating temblor in April —bore the brunt of the new quake, too. A 75-year woman died of a heart attack as a result of the quake, said provincial governor Gabriel Rivera. It caused a lot of damage to resort facilities in the coastal towns of Atacames and Tonsupa, and many homes also collapsed, Rivera told Radio Publica.
The 5.8 magnitude quake struck in the Pacific off Atacames and was followed by 25 aftershocks registering as high as 4.2, the Geophysical Institute reported.
