Earthquake of 7.2 Richter scale in Ecuador

A strong earthquake of 7.2 on the Richter scale shook the northwestern region of Ecuador's Quito capital.

People flock to Quito street after the earthquake on May 18.(Photo: THX / TTXVN).

On May 18, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked the northwestern region of Ecuador's Quito capital. Initial notice from the Ecuadorian government after two quakes showed that at least 1 person was killed, 85 were injured, some infrastructure was damaged. Many people feared running out of the house. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has also asked schools to temporarily shut down to ensure the safety of young children.

Earlier on the same day, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale occurred in western Ecuador, only a month after the terrifying landslide in the South American country caused thousands of casualties.

In April, Ecuador suffered a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, killing 650 people and injuring 16,600. This is considered the worst earthquake in nearly 70 years in this South American country. It is estimated that this disaster has caused damages of up to 3 billion USD and could cause Ecuador's economic growth to drop by 2-3%.