A 6.2 earthquake shook the coast of Ecuador on Wednesday, just days after a bigger quake battered the area and killed nearly 500 people in a blow to the country`s already fragile economy, according to Reuters.
The latest earthquake hit 70 km (44 miles) off the Pacific coast town Esmeraldas at a depth of 10 km, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. That was not far from the epicenter of Saturday`s 7.8 magnitude quake, as reported by Reuters.
Witnesses in the zone said two strong tremors of about 30 seconds each were felt in the early hours in Cojimies, down the coast from the weekend earthquake. People woke up and rushed into the street.
No tsunami warning was issued. The quake was not felt in the highland capital of Quito, and there were no immediate reports of major damage.
Ecuador`s Geophysical Institute said a 6.2 magnitude earthquake at 03:33 local time (08:33 GMT) was followed by a series of aftershocks. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) put the magnitude at 6.1.
Saturday`s quake killed 480 people, left another 107 missing, and injured more than 4,600. About 1,500 buildings were destroyed, mudslides were triggered and roads torn up. Some 20,500 people were left sleeping in shelters.
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