Earthquake in Ecuador
As you have likely heard, the devastating 7.8 earthquake that struck along the coast of Ecuador on April 16 has put the coastal regions and the country in a state of disaster. Our logistics and guide team based in Quito are reporting that all is well in the capital although the strong shaking for almost a minute was terrifying. Quito lost power in parts of the city for some time but all has been restored. The part of the country sustaining the most damage is Portoviejo (about 250 miles west of Quito) with as many as 370 buildings destroyed.
Our hearts go out to all those that have been lost and we look forward to supporting the beautiful people of Ecuador as they recover from this disaster.
Our Ecuador Climbing School get’s started in June and we don’t anticipate any changes to our itineraries due to the earthquake. In fact we’re looking forward to going back and supporting the local economies. As soon as Ecuador sorts through the initial damage they’ll be looking to open the doors to travelers in an effort to support the recovery. We can’t wait to be back!
Here’s a few ways you can help right now:
Ecuador Red Cross – Teams on the ground providing search and rescue along with first aid.
UNICEF – So far has delivered 20,000 water purification tables to the area worst affected by the quake. UNICEF is also assessing the needs of children in the earthquake zone.
-Alpenglow Team