THE EARTHQUAKE IN ECUADOR!

Southland Times, Issue 1037, 12 October 1868, Page 2

THE EARTHQUAKE IN ECUADOR!

A NUMBER OF CITIES ENTIRELY DESTROYED—THOUSANDS OE LIVES LOSf. Our Guayaquil correspondent writes us under date of the 26th August, giving full particulars of the terrible ravages committed iv Ecuador by the earthquake. We translate the following from his letter : — On the 16th of the present month there occurred in the provinces of Pichincha and Imbabura a tremendous earthquake, unequalled in the history of Ecuador. The towns of Ibarra, capital of the Province of Imbabura, San Pablo, Atuntaqui, Imantad, &c, are in ruins. Where Cotacachi was is now a lake. In Ibarra, Otovala and Cotocochi, 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 slighest movement will throw them down. There are already in ruins the church and convent of San Agustin, the two churches of Senora del Carmen, the towers of the cathedral and San Maroos, the college of San Luis, &c. The towei-B of the other churches, the government palace and many private houses have been cracked and are momentarily threatening to fall to pieces. The towns adjoining Quito, as Perucho, Puellaro, and Cachiguan jo have almost entirely disappeard. The number of deaths in Quito have fortunately been very small but in the other towns it is calculated thaS not less than twenty thousand have perished. The few who are left uninjured in these places have been unable to assist those remaiuing alive or dying under the ruins, and have Deen obliged to fly from the stench of the dead bodies which commenced to putrify and infect the atmosphere. Letters from Yuito bring dates to the 19th, up to which time the earthquakes cuniiuued at intervals of a few hours. It has been impossible yet u> obtain data as to . the cause of the terrible phenu.uena; some attribute it to the volcano of Agualongo and other to Cayambe. The news which was received in Guayaquil up to the sailing of the steamer had been forwarded under the influence of great fright, and probably may not be quite correct. The next steamer will bring us fuller accounts, but they may be even worse, bat in Quito nothing was known of the fate ofthe neighboring towns either of Ecuador or ! Colombia.

The venerable Patriot Teodore Gomez de la Torre was saved in a most miraculous manner in Tbarra. where scarcely a soul was left alive, but he escaped sadly injured. His brother Francisco was equally fortunate, but Don Jose Maria, their brother, perished with all his family. Senor Valenzuela, Minister of Colombiajremains in Guayaquil, having resolved not to continue his journey to the interior at present. In Guayaquil the earthquake was felt at various times between the 13th and 16th, and another at a later date, but it did no damage. The first lasted forty or fifty seconds, the direction being from eaßt to west, and the movement regular | and slow. It is expected that there has been immense damage done in Esmeralda. , In addition to the foregoing we have received the following items from another correspondent, written on board the Peru. I saw a letter from Quito, stating that a terrible earthquake had at 1. 20 a. m. on the 16th inst, convulsed that Republic resulting in the complete destruction of Itaburo. Ibarra, Otavalo and Cotocachi, the loss of life waß estimated close upon 30,000. Quito had been more tenderly dealt with although ifc bad been shaken considerably and some 20 lives lost, the populace had deserted their dwellings and Were living in tents in the squares and open spaces about the city. The Panama ' Star and Herald,' 31st August, says:— "Onthe 14th inst. the most extensive fire ever known in Callao broke out about 9 o'clock in the evening, originating it is beUeved in the Hotel Confianza, situated in the Calle de Constitucion. The flames were not long in gaining gronnd and ere the fire engines here and of Lima were in active operations th« fire was, so strong and powerful that it was with difficulty extinguished. The fire extended on the one hand along to the house ofthe Prefect and every house was burnt up to the Roma hotel, the front part of which fortunately escaped, some thirty houses are totally destroyed and twenty seven others seriously damaged, it is estimated that property amounting to fully one million dollars has been lost, and only some $80,000 were insused.