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Major 7.5-magnitude earthquake hits eastern Ecuador

By Nicholas Sakelaris
The earthquake struck early Friday in eastern Ecuador, near the border with Peru. Image courtesy U.S. Geological Survey
The earthquake struck early Friday in eastern Ecuador, near the border with Peru. Image courtesy U.S. Geological Survey

Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit eastern Ecuador early Friday, which sent shock waves throughout the region.

Ecuador's regional emergency centers were activated after the quake struck just after 4 a.m. at a depth of 82 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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"Preliminary reports of the first earthquakes near Macas do not indicate major damages," Ecuador President Lenin Moreno wrote on Twitter.

The quake's epicenter is located in a largely rural area far from major highways. The quake was felt -- at a magnitude of 5.5 -- as far as 100 miles away.

Friday's earthquake hit far enough inland that it shouldn't trigger any tsunamis, the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center said.

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