Quake rattles Ecuador–Peru border region
A powerful tremor rattled the border between Ecuador and Peru on Tuesday evening, sending vibrations through communities in both nations. The 6.1 magnitude quake hit at 7:05 p.m. local time from a point 83 kilometers below the surface in El Oro Province. The center is 11 kilometers from Arenillas and 36 kilometers from Machala.
People near the epicenter felt sustained motion that reached Guayaquil and crossed into northern Peru. One person described fearing their home would collapse from the intensity. Ecuador sits where the Nazca Plate slides beneath the South American Plate, making earthquakes common.
A 7.8 magnitude disaster struck near Muisne on April 16, 2016, claiming nearly 700 lives and damaging Manta, Portoviejo and Pedernales.
