A 7.8-magnitude earthquake thundered along Ecuador’s Pacific Coast on April 16, 2016. The quake and subsequent aftershocks caused extensive damage and killed more than 650. While the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ecuador was not damaged during the quake, dozens of homes of the Witnesses were destroyed. The latest reports also confirm that one Witness died. The Witnesses have dispatched trucks with food and potable water to the affected area. Two disaster relief committees were immediately sent by the branch office to supervise the initial efforts, and they established two relief centers, one in the city of Pedernales and the other in Manta. Additionally, four representatives from the branch visited the affected zone to provide pastoral support.

Media Contacts:

International: David A. Semonian, Office of Public Information, tel. +1 718 560 5000

Ecuador: Marco Brito, tel. +593 98 488 8580