New 3.4 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Esmeraldas: Authorities Report 32 Injured and Damage to Key Refinery

Less than 30 hours after being shaken by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, the province of Esmeraldas in Ecuador experienced another seismic event.Photo:EFE.

April 26, 2025 Hour: 4:57 pm

A 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck Esmeraldas this Saturday, following Friday’s 6.1 magnitude quake that left 32 injured, 179 homes damaged, and impacted educational and oil infrastructure, according to official reports.

The coastal province of Esmeraldas in northern Ecuador registered a 3.4 magnitude earthquake on Saturday, April 26, with its epicenter 17.28 km from the provincial capital. The tremor followed Friday’s 6.1 magnitude quake, which according to the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School (IG-EPN) left 32 injured and affected 716 people in the region.

The National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR) confirmed damage to 179 homes, 26 educational institutions, and 7 health centers, prompting the Ministry of Education to postpone the school year’s start date to May 12. The Esmeraldas Refinery, operated by Petroecuador, suspended operations after detecting structural damage, with technical teams currently assessing the infrastructure.

[REVISADO]
Evento: igepn2025idig
Ocurrido: 2025-04-26 10:52:01
Mag.: 3.4MLv
Prof.: 31.0 km
Lat.: 1.122° N
Long.: 79.678° W
Localizado: a 17.28 km de Esmeraldas, Esmeraldas
Sintió este sismo? Repórtelo: https://t.co/ACWRLRps5P pic.twitter.com/ppZIp4jo5G
— Instituto Geofísico (@IGecuador) April 26, 2025

The text reads: [REVIEWED]
Event: igepn2025idig
Occurred: 2025-04-26 10:52:01
Mag.: 3.4MLv
Depth: 31.0 km
Lat.: 1.122° N
Long.: 79.678° W
Located: 17.28 km from Esmeraldas, Esmeraldas
Did you feel this earthquake? Report it: https://servicios.igepn.edu.ec/url/NTA5OA==

Assistance Deployment

The government deployed 2,900 military personnel and 50 specialized disaster response police officers to assist affected residents. A temporary shelter at an educational facility is housing 62 people, according to the latest SNGR report. President Daniel Noboa, currently on an international tour, ordered his ministers to prioritize emergency response efforts.

The IG-EPN has not yet confirmed whether Saturday’s quake was an aftershock of Friday’s main event. Experts emphasize that Ecuador’s coastal region, located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences high seismic activity, necessitating reinforced prevention protocols for future events.