A national emergency has been declared in Ecuador as rescuers scramble to find survivors following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which has claimed at least 272 lives.
President Rafael Correa landed back in the country late on Sunday night to oversee the relief effort after cutting short a trip to the Vatican.
Ecuadoreans have been warned that the number of fatalities is likely to rise – as more than 2,500 people were injured following the strong quake, and a large number remain unaccounted for.
It has emerged that the forceful tremors allowed about 180 inmates to break out of a prison in the western town of Portoviejo, and dozens are yet to be captured.
But thousands of food packages and nearly 8,000 sleeping kits have been delivered from neighbouring countries, bringing warmth to the many thousands left homeless and with no choice but to sleep outside in the dark.
“Everything can be rebuilt, but what can’t be rebuilt are human lives, and that’s the most painful,” President Correa said.
Families have expressed their frustration at being unable to rescue their loved ones from collapsed buildings, reports Sky News.
Manuel Quijije said his older brother was trapped underneath a pile of twisted steel and concrete, adding: “We managed to see his arms and legs. They’re his, they’re buried, but the police kicked us out because they say there’s a risk the rest of the building will collapse.
“We’re not afraid. We’re desperate. We want to pull out our family.”
There have been at least 135 aftershocks since the earthquake struck, and according to the US Geological Survey, one of them had a magnitude of 5.6.
The authorities have warned Ecuadoreans to prepare for similarly strong aftershocks in the coming hours and days.
This is the seventh earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 or higher to hit Ecuador since 1900 – and one in March 1987 killed approximately 1,000 people.
