Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
Scores of buildings damaged, 20 injured in Ecuador quake
A Backhoe loader removes debris from a damaged house after the earthquake that struck the city of Esmeraldas, Ecuador on April 25, 2025. At least twenty people were injured and more than a hundred homes were destroyed by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that shook the Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas, near the Colombian border on Friday. (Photo by Antony Quintero / AFP)
International News, Latest News
April 25, 2025

Scores of buildings damaged, 20 injured in Ecuador quake

Ecuador (AFP)—A shallow 6.3-magnitude earthquake left at least 20 people injured, damaged more than 100 buildings and caused widespread power cuts in the Ecuadoran port city of Esmeraldas on Friday.

According to Ecuador’s emergency response services, victims suffered head and other wounds and at least 135 homes were damaged in the shake, which was felt as far away as the capital Quito.

Fisherman Andres Mafare, aged 36, was walking to the port when he heard a loud crack followed by a strong earthquake that shook overhead cables.

He raced home to try to find his wife and two sons. “I ran like crazy, and when I got here saw that my house had been destroyed,” he told AFP.

An AFP reporter in Esmeraldas witnessed tumbled-down walls, facades that had collapsed onto a road in a pile of debris and several cracked buildings.

Families stood around surveying the damage.

“It was very strong,” former presidential candidate Yaku Perez told AFP from the scene.

“It felt like an eternity, but I guess it was less than a minute.”

The authorities said four health centers and 18 schools had been damaged, while the facade of a military building partially collapsed. Two roads and a bridge were also damaged.

According to official estimates, about 80 percent of homes were left without power or phone access.

National oil company Petroecuador said it briefly “suspended operations” at the Esmeraldas refinery and a nearby pipeline.

The refinery produces 111,000 barrels a day and the Transecuadorian Pipeline System transports 360,000 barrels a day.

Daniel Noboa, the South American nation’s newly re-elected president, said he was rushing ministers to the scene to help coordinate the building of shelters and delivery of humanitarian aid.

“The government is with you, and that’s how it will be going forward,” he said on social media.

The US Geological Survey and local monitors said the quake struck just off the coast at a depth of about 35 kilometers (22 miles) shortly before 7:00 am local time (1200 GMT).

Ecuadoran authorities said there was no tsunami risk from the quake.

Ecuador sits on one of the most geologically active zones on Earth, and the fault between the Nazca and South American plates runs along its coast.

The Geophysical Institute said that “the convergence of the Nazca and South American plates, which have a movement speed of 5.6 centimeters (2.2 inches) per year, is the process that generates the largest earthquakes in the country.”

The tremor was felt in 10 of the country’s 24 provinces.

There were no reports of injuries across the border in neighboring Colombia.

Last week, Ecuador marked the anniversary of the 2016 earthquake that struck the coasts of Manabi and Esmeraldas. With a magnitude of 7.8, it left 673 dead and about 6,300 injured.

Tags:

6.3-magnitude earthquake Earthquake Ecuador
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

On Human Rights Day, JFJ flags ‘stark’ increase in security force killings
Latest News, News
On Human Rights Day, JFJ flags ‘stark’ increase in security force killings
December 10, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica—Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), Mickel Jackson says while the country has seen a "historic" decline in murders th...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Nearly 200 children conceived from sperm donor with increased cancer risk—reports
International News, Latest News
Nearly 200 children conceived from sperm donor with increased cancer risk—reports
December 10, 2025
COPENHAGEN, Denmark—A sperm donor, who is an asymptomatic carrier of a genetic mutation increasing the risk of cancer, was used to conceive nearly 200...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
New Zealand lose Tickner as West Indies all out for 205
International News, Latest News
New Zealand lose Tickner as West Indies all out for 205
December 10, 2025
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP)—New Zealand fought back to claim first-day honours in the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington, but the hom...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaican pilot ‘flying high’ after winning US$2m Mr Beast challenge
Latest News, News
Jamaican pilot ‘flying high’ after winning US$2m Mr Beast challenge
Dana Malcolm | Observer Online Reporter | Malcolmd@jamaicaobserver.com 
December 9, 2025
For Jamaican-born pilot Jabari Brown, having copped a US$2 million jet after beating 99 other pilots in a dramatic YouTube challenge hosted by popular...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
NHT extends Hurricane Melissa relief to mortgagers in lesser-affected parishes
Latest News, News
NHT extends Hurricane Melissa relief to mortgagers in lesser-affected parishes
December 9, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica —The National Housing Trust (NHT) is assuring mortgagors in the lesser‑affected parishes that they, too, will benefit from the entit...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Mt Pleasant could face LA Galaxy in Champions Cup
Latest News, Sports
Mt Pleasant could face LA Galaxy in Champions Cup
December 9, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica —  Caribbean Cup champions Mount Pleasant Academy could face Major League Soccer powerhouse Los Angeles Galaxy in the Round of 16 in...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Man in custody following alleged abduction of missing 6-y-o in Clarendon
Latest News, News
Man in custody following alleged abduction of missing 6-y-o in Clarendon
December 9, 2025
CLARENDON, Jamaica — Head of the Clarendon police Senior Superintendent Shane McCalla, has confirmed that a man was taken into custody after a missing...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Forex: $161.14 to one US dollar
Latest News, News
Forex: $161.14 to one US dollar
December 9, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The United States (US) dollar on Tuesday, December 9, ended trading at $161.14, up by 12 cents, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct