The 7.8 earthquake that struck Ecuador Saturday, April 16, has claimed over 500 lives and injured over 4,000 people. Defense Minister Ricardo Patiño said that the country is experiencing its "worst tragedy in 60 years," as rescue and recovery efforts continue. The death toll is still climbing and many are still missing.
"It's going to take us years to recover from this," Patiño told reporters via CNN. As rescue workers scour through the rubbles, the government said that they are likely to find more bodies and discover more damages.
President Rafael Correa assessed that the damage could rise up to $3 billion, which will be a huge blow to the country's struggling economy. "It's going to be a long battle," he said, per The Guardian. The last time Ecuador experienced a tragedy of this magnitude was in 1987 when a 7.2 earthquake left 1,000 dead.
Reconstruimos una vez Manabí y lo volveremos a hacer.
Grande es la tragedia pero más grande el valor del pueblo ecuatoriano.— Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael) April 19, 2016
Foreign Aid Pour For Ecuador Earthquake Victims
Ecuador has been experiencing aftershocks, but rescue and recovery efforts still continue, particularly in the Manabi province. The coastal tourist town is believed to have the most casualties and hundreds of establishments have collapsed.
ABC reports that 11 foreigners have been confirmed dead. Other countries have pledged to help Ecuador as thousands are left without home and food.
Neighboring South American countries have already dispatched rescuers, while the United States pledged to deploy medical and disaster experts, including supplies, per the US Aid. The United Nations has also committed to a major airlift of supplies and provisions, especially in refugee sites, per its press release.
.@USAID has deployed a disaster team to #Ecuador to help with #earthquake relief efforts https://t.co/y6EHgizdHD pic.twitter.com/iBhEOpS14w — USAID/OFDA (@theOFDA) April 19, 2016
Ecuador Earthquake Affects 150,000 Children
UNICEF reports that the aftermath of the Ecuador earthquake will be worst for 150,000 children. The organization is concerned that many will be without proper water and sanitation as recovery is taking place.
The situation could be detrimental to the children's health, especially for those living in the coastal areas. UNICEF is also worried of a potential outbreak as this South American region is a hotspot for mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue, Chikungya, Malaria and Zika.
"We are in a race against time to protect children from disease and other risks common in such emergencies," UNICEF's Grant Leaity said. Below is the UNICEF video of the rescue efforts in Ecuador:
