Two Ecuador Earthquakes Claim Lives And Rattle City
Imagine you’re living in Ecuador during one of the Ecuador earthquakes, enjoying a beautiful day, basking in the sun, when suddenly the ground below you begins to rattle and things around you crash to the ground. You can almost smell the dirt and earth crumbling and breaking against each other. You have little to no time to react and protect yourself. A split second and you could be dead if you’re in a building, which can come crashing down on you, smashing you into mush, or perhaps you’re driving down the road and the land splits apart, swallowing you whole. The Ecuador earthquakes are no joke, and the citizens of Ecuador can vouch for it.
#Ecuador hit again by powerful #earthquake, chaos in streets https://t.co/RnbGc55fnE pic.twitter.com/DmqjZXofqd
— TruNews™ (@TruNews) May 18, 2016
According to the USGS, the earthquakes in Ecuador were caused by faulting near plate boundaries. The area and mechanics of the quake show similarities with slips between South American and Nazca plates. It is thought to be an aftershock of the larger earthquake that rocked Ecuador back in April, which measured a whopping M 7.8. This is a grouping of five shocks experienced since that day in April.
Unlike its larger earthquake predecessor from April, there has been only one confirmed death, compared to 600+ and more than 15,000 injured. The New York Times reported earlier that the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not see a need to utilize a tsunami warning in regard to the Ecuador quakes.
The Inquisitr reported last month on the large April temblor that struck Ecuador.
It’s safe to say that being aroused from a gentle slumber by an earthquake isn’t the most welcomed event, and this was the case for residents of Esmerelda, a province in Ecuador located around 100 miles north of Quito, the capital. The aftereffects began its course almost immediately by causing electricity to be lost and havoc to arise in the streets. Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, spoke about the aftershocks that are terrorizing towns in Ecuador around April’s temblor.
“These sort of aftershocks are normal but that doesn’t mean they’re not scary and can cause damage,”
A couple of hours later, Mompiche, a small oceanic town nearby, felt the latter of the two earthquakes that hit. Without electricity and with possible water damage, schools in Ecuador began to close and city officials began to scurry around the town trying to analyze the damages sustained from the earthquakes.
Pictures of damage in Ecuador from the major magnitude 7.8 earthquake. Taken by @JuanCallesMAS pic.twitter.com/7Cs3GNZHJY
— Collin Gross (@CollinGrossWx) April 17, 2016
Aftershock earthquakes such as the ones that occurred on Wednesday make it difficult for towns in Ecuador to rebuild. The April temblor demolished buildings, disfigured highways, and made parts of the country uninhabitable. And just as they start to clean up the damage, aftershocks return the country back to a state of despair. People are left without homes. Families mourn their lost loved ones. Ecuador as a whole is feeling the pain of its people.
However, the beauty of this earthquake is that the people of Ecuador are embracing the mantra of “What can’t kill us will only make us stronger.” Jorge Zambrano, mayor of Manta, a town in Ecuador, spoke about this latest earthquake.
“It was a big shake and all of us were scared, but there are no major problems at the moment,”
Obviously, it will be a long time before Ecuador is back to its original state, but the citizens will only grow stronger together in the face of the quakes and all of its aftermath. UNICEF is, of course, offering aid, and there are many places to donate to the relief fund as well.
In regard to aiding foreign countries during such crises, do you think it is acceptable that the United States offers monetary aid in addition to medical supplies and food? Or do you feel that we should utilize those resources to target underprivileged members of our own society before we provide aid to other countries? Please feel free to mention below in the comments section what you feel about providing aid to the Ecuador earthquake relief efforts.
[Photo by Taro Karibe/Getty Images]
