Magnitude 3.5 earthquake recorded off Muisne coast in Esmeraldas

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was recorded Sunday morning offshore from Ecuador’s Esmeraldas province, near the coastal town of Muisne. The Institute of Geophysics of the National Polytechnic School said the earthquake occurred at 8:46:31 a.m. local time at a depth of 37 kilometers.

The epicenter lay in the sea, 15.94 kilometers from the Muisne municipal seat, at coordinates 0.610 degrees north and 80.164 degrees west. Residents of Muisne, an island city, said the shaking felt strong enough to send some people out of their homes and businesses. People in Atacames, Tonchigüe and other parts of southern Esmeraldas reportedly felt lighter vibrations.

The accounts differed from the institute’s preliminary assessment that the earthquake was not felt by the population. The institute invited residents who experienced the shaking to report it through its platform.

After confirming the event, teams from the National Risk Management Secretariat and local fire departments carried out routine inspections in nearby communities. Authorities said they had received no reports of injuries or damage to homes, public infrastructure or the state road network.

Ecuador lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped zone containing major subduction areas and intense seismic activity across parts of the Americas.