Death Toll in Ecuador Quake Climbs to 646 People

The death toll from the powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Ecuador last Saturday has climbed to 646 people, the country’s president Rafael Correa announced.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The previous official death toll stood at 602.

Nearly 12,500 people sustained injuries and 130 individuals are considered missing, Correa specified while presenting updated information on the earthquake’s consequences.

The quake’s epicenter was located near the town of Pedernales in Manabi province, which is situated south of Esmeraldas province.

Over 300 aftershocks have been registered after the initial quake, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).