THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN ECUADOR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 239, 8 October 1868, Page 3

THE LATE EARTHQUAKE IN ECUADOR.

It will be remembered that the telegram furnished to us on the arrival of the Panama Mail at Wellington, whilst stating that the earthquake and tidal wave had occasioned the loss of several thousand lives in Peru and Ecuador, &c-, only gave particulars of the fate of the various cities and towns affected by it in Peru. The following statement, furnished by the special correspondent of the Panama Star, at Guayaquil, gives the results of the earthquake in Ecuador: — On the 16th of August there occurred in the provinces of Piehiucha and Imbabara a tremendous earthquake, unequalled in the history of Ecuador. The town of Ibarra, capital of the province of Imbabara, San Pablo, Atuntaqui, Imanted, &c, are in ruins. Where Cotacachi was is now a lake. In Ibarra, OtovalaandCotocachi, almost the entire population has perished. In Quito the earthquake and its effects have been proportionately less, but the buildings are so much injured that the slightest movement will throw them down. These are already in ruins — the church and convent of San Augustin, the two churches of Senora dei Carmen, the towers of the cathedral and San Marcos, the college of San Luis, &c. The towers of the other churches, the Government palace, and many private houses, have been all cracked, and momentarily threatening to fall to pieces. The towns adjoining Puito, as Perucho, Puellaro, and Cachiguanjo have almost entirely disappeared. The number of deaths in Quito have fortunately been very small, but in the other towns it is calculated that not less than 20,000 have perished. The few who are left uninjured in these places have been unable to assist those remaining alive or dying under the ruins, and have been obliged to fly from the stench of the dead bodies, which began to putrify and infect the atmosphere. Letters from Quite brings dates to the 19th, up to which time the earthquakes continued at intervals of a few hours. It has been impossible yet to obtain data as to the cause of the terrible phenomena; some attribute it to the volcano of Agualongo, and others to Cayambe. The news which was received in Guayaquil up to the sailing of the steamer had

been forwarded under . c the influence of great fright, and probably may not be correct. The next steamer will bring fuller accounts, but they may be even worse. Id Quito nothing was known of the fate of the neighboring towns either of Ecuador or Colombia. In Guayaquil the earthquake was felt at various times between the 13th aud lfitb, and another at a later date, but it did no damage. The first lasted forty or fifty seconds, the direction being from east to west, aud the movement regular and slow. It is expected that there has been immense damage done in Esmeralda.