Strong aftershock rattles nerves in Manta

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake centered just east of Manta sent residents into the streets late Thursday night but caused no injuries or major damage, authorities said. The quake occurred at 11:25 p.m. according to Ecuador’s Geophysical Institute.

Quake epicenter was just east of Manta.

In a preliminary report, the Institute said the quake occurred near the epicenter of the April 16 7.8-magnitude earthquake that devastated much of the region, and was an aftershock of that event. The epicenter of the Thursday night quake was in Rocafuerte, 10 kilometers east of Manta.

The quake was felt strongly in Manta, where many residents were reported gathering in streets and parks at midnight. It was also felt in Chone, Bahia de Caraquez, San Vicente, Jama, Pedernales, Tosagua, and Flavio Alfaro.

Residents of the affected area told a radio station that new cracks appeared in several condominium buildings and that at least two small houses, abandoned after the April earthquake, collapsed.

Utility companies said that all services continue to operate normally.