Ecuador’s President: Earthquake Recovery to Cost Billions of Dollars

Volunteers search for survivors in buildings destroyed by an earthquake in Pedernales, Ecuador, Sunday, April 17, 2016.

Ecuador’s President says billions of dollars will beneeded to help the country rebuild from the powerfulearthquake last Saturday.

The earthquake killed at least 413 people and injuredmore than 2,500. Thousands of people were lefthomeless.

President Rafael Correa visited the northeastern townof Portoviejo Monday to see some of the damage.Portoviejo and the nearby cities of Manta andPedernales were among the areas that suffered thegreatest damage in the earthquake.  

The government says it will take loans from severalinternational organizations, including the World Bank, topay for its rescue and recovery efforts.

Ecuador is a member of the Organization of PetroleumExporting Countries (OPEC). The economy of the small, South Americancountry is in recession because of low oil prices on international markets.

A United States government agency announced Tuesday that it will send twoteams to Ecuador. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will deploy one team to assist the government by studying the country’sdamage and needs.

A second team will work with the United Nations to help organize internationalrescue activities. USAID has promised to donate at least $100,000 forsupplies.

The U.N. Children’s Fund reported Tuesday that the earthquake damaged 119schools, affecting at least 150,000 children.

Search-and-rescue crews have launched an effort to find survivors trapped in the wreckage of buildings destroyed in the earthquake. Three people wererescued from the wreckage of a shopping center in Manta after being trappedfor 32 hours. 

Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed throughout Ecuador toprovide temporary shelters and food. And aid workers from many nations --including Spain, Peru, Cuba, Bolivia and Venezuela -- have arrived to help.

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