Magnitude 5.8 Earthquake Strikes Off Ecuador's Northwestern Coast

On April 16, Ecuador was hit by a 7.8-magnitude quake, with its epicenter located near the town of Pedernales in Manabi province, which is situated south of Esmeraldas province.

Catastrophe modelling firm AIR Worldwide has estimated industry insured losses from the magnitude 7.8 Ecuadorian natural disaster at between $325mn and $850mn.

The latest quake caused no damage or casualties, but shook the ground forcefully in the middle of the night, sending terrified residents running into the street in the devastated resort town of Pedernales.

South America's deadliest quake in more than a decade destroyed virtually all of the simple one- and two-story buildings making up the beach town of Canoa last Saturday.

On Sunday, a mother and her 12-year-old son from Quebec were identified among the dead. "The others are receiving things, but we're not", said Darwin Gachila, 33, as he cradled his baby daughter, flanked by his wife and two other children in the small village of Cojimies.

It terrified inhabitants and briefly hindered rescuers searching for the dwindling number of survivors from Saturday's bigger 7.8 quake, which killed 525 people, according to a central government tally.

The quake is the deadliest to hit Ecuador since the 1979 temblor left hundreds of homes destroyed and thousands of people fearing for their lives.

Hundreds of people are still missing, and authorities have warned that the death toll is likely to continue rising.

A 6.0-magnitude natural disaster has struck off the coast of Ecuador, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has reported. Aid is arriving from overseas but relief workers have warned of delays in water distribution and said mosquito-borne illness could spread through the camps.

"Let's not kid ourselves - it will be a long struggle. reconstruction for years, billions (of dollars) in investment", Correa said.

The Inter-American Development Bank announced it would extend Ecuador an emergency loan of up to US$300 million.

The quake came as a particularly severe blow to the tourism sector, just as the government was launching a major push to attract more visitors.

Fire chief Ever Arroyo from the Ecuadoran capital Quito said the "operational threshold" of the rescue effort was over. Foreign nationals, including from the UK, Ireland and Canada, have been confirmed among the dead.

The funeral had to be held outside under a makeshift awning, because the town's Roman Catholic church was damaged and unsafe.

The 7.8-magnitude quake was Ecuador's worst in almost 40 years. Cuba sent doctors, Venezuela has flown in food and the USA government said Tuesday that it was sending a team of disaster experts as well $100,000 in assistance.