Ecuador earthquake

BELGRADE - At least 272 people were killed by Saturday's devastating earthquake in Ecuador, President Rafael Correa said Sunday evening in an address to the nation.

"Officially, the number [of those killed] in the country totals 272," Correa said.

"The scale of the tragedy is huge, but we will be able to move forward."

BELGRADE - At least 77 people have lost their lives in Ecuador following a strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale that struck off the northwest Pacific coast late on Saturday.

According to the El Telegrafo newspaper, 16 people were killed in the city of Portoviejo, 10 died in the city of Manta and two others became victims of the quake in the Guayas province.

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa says the death toll from a magnitude-7.8 earthquake has risen to 233. Correa sent the new figure on his official Twitter account while flying home from Rome to deal with the emergency.

A powerful earthquake killed at least 77 people, injured hundreds more, ravaged coastal towns and sent residents fleeing for higher ground in Ecuador on April 16 night.