Ecuador earthquake aid

A 7.8-magnitude quake, which struck Ecuador Saturday night, has killed at least 413 people, officials said Monday. More than 2,500 more were injured.

The hardest-hit area of the South American nation was the coastal Manabi Province, where about 200 people died, said Ricardo Peñaherrera of Ecuador’s national emergency management office.

Getting supplies and rescue crews to the affected areas has been a challenge. “The lack of water and communication remains a big problem,” Peñaherrera told CNN en Español. “Many highways are in bad shape, especially in the mountainous area, because it has been raining recently due to the El Niño weather phenomenon.”

Mexico, Spain, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Peru and other countries sent rescuers and aid. The European Union said Monday it had released €1 million in humanitarian aid. The United Nations said it was preparing a “major aid airlift,” and private aid organizations have also rallied.

This entry was posted in Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation by Grant Montgomery.