CCTV9英语新闻：One killed, 85 injured in 6.8-magnitude aftershock in Ecuador's north coast

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A new earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck Ecuador's north coast on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring 85 others, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said.

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa (1st R) meets with members of the Committee of Emergency Operations (COE) after an earthquake at the Integrated Security Service ECU 911 in Quito, capital of Ecuador, on May 18, 2016. An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck western Ecuador early Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geographical Survey. The powerful quake occurred at 02:57:04 local time (07:57:04 GMT), with the epicenter located about 34 kilometers from Rosa Zarate and 60 kilometers from Esmeraldas at a depth of about 10 kilometers. (Xinhua/Stringer)

The quake occurred at 11:46 a.m. local time (1646 GMT), with the epicenter in the northern province of Esmeraldas at a shallow depth of 15 km, said the country's Geophysical Institute.

The powerful earthquake has caused panic in various parts of the country, including the capital city of Quito where citizens fled their homes, the agency said.

Earlier Wednesday morning, another 6.8-magnitude quake was centered to the south of Muisne Canton, also in Esmeraldas, with a depth of 32 km below the earth's surface.

According to the Geophysical Institute, the two earthquakes were aftershocks from the 7.8-magnitude quake that rocked Ecuador's northern coast on April 16, killing at least 661 people and injuring around 16,600.

Hundreds of aftershocks were recorded following the April earthquake, with Wednesday's two being the strongest so far. 

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa (C) meets with members of the Committee of Emergency Operations (COE) after an earthquake at the Integrated Security Service ECU 911 in Quito, capital of Ecuador, on May 18, 2016. An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck western Ecuador early Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geographical Survey. The powerful quake occurred at 02:57:04 local time (07:57:04 GMT), with the epicenter located about 34 kilometers from Rosa Zarate and 60 kilometers from Esmeraldas at a depth of about 10 kilometers. (Xinhua/Stringer)