Ecuador quake kills 12 people, says presidency

View of debris after an earthquake in the city of Machala, Ecuador on March 18, 2023. Four dead in southern Ecuador and damage to buildings after an earthquake with an epicenter in that country, which reached its neighbor Peru, according to a preliminary balance of authorities. The earthquake of magnitude 6.5 in Ecuador and 7.0 in Peru was recorded at 12:12 local time (17:12 GMT) in the Ecuadorian municipality of Balao, about 140 kilometers from the port of Guayaquil, and at a depth of 44 kilometers, authorities reported. (Photo by Gleen Suarez / AFP) At least 12 people were killed, one was wounded and buildings were damaged in the earthquake that shook Peru and Ecuador earlier Saturday, Ecuador’s presidency said. “So far, 12 deaths are reported (11 in the province of El Oro and one in the province of Azuay),” the presidency said in a tweet. AFP