MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Ecuador may begin issuing international bonds to help mobilize resources in earthquake relief efforts, President Rafael Correa said in a televised conversation with the media Wednesday.
Correa estimated the total damages from Saturday’s 7.8-magnitude quake near the coastal city of Pedernales at $2-3 billion.
The updated death toll from the earthquake stood at 553 people, with 4,600 wounded and at least 100 still missing.
The earthquake caused damage to over 800 buildings across several affected cities.
