Magnitude-7.1 quake shakes Ecuador

A powerful earthquake shook the South American nation of Ecuador today, but there were only scattered reports of damage or injury.

A powerful earthquake shook the South American nation of Ecuador on Friday, but there were only scattered reports of damage or injury.

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The magnitude-7.1 quake that hit at 6:54 am (local time) was felt across much of the nation, including the capital, Quito.

The US Geological Survey said the quake was centered 175 km southeast of Quito. But it was also very deep, 211 km below the surface, a distance that might have blunted its damage.

Ecuador's national Geophysics Institute reported that some areas shook for almost 10 minutes.

It said several houses were reported damaged in the cities of Guayaquil and Manta, where one person suffered minor injuries.