MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa for the loss of human lives and massive destruction in a major earthquake that hit Ecuador, the Kremlin press service said on Saturday.
At least 77 people died and over 580 sustained injuries in the earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 that hit Ecuador's central coast late on Saturday.
"The Russian president stressed that Russia shares the pain and sorrow of those who lost their relatives and friends as a result of this disaster, and expressed hope for a speedy recovery of the injured," the Kremlin press service said in a statement.
An earthquake measuring 7.8 occurred off the coast of Ecuador, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), leaving 77 people dead and nearly 600 injured, local media reported, citing Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas.
