Ecuador quake toll rises to 587

The toll from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Ecuador last week, has climbed to 587 over the weekend, including 27 foreigners, the government has said.

Thursday's report said 539 of the victims were identified and claimed by their families, while the identities of 48 bodies were still being investigated, Xinhua news agency reported.

Among the 27 foreigners killed in the quake, which hit late Saturday, 10 were Colombian, six Cuban, two Canadian, two from the Dominican Republic, two from Britain, and one each from Italy, Germany, France, and Ireland. One was yet to be identified.

The number of injured stands at 5,733, with 163 reported missing.

Relief efforts and materials are urgently needed. By Thursday afternoon, a campaign launched by Ecuador's National Assembly had already gathered $377,197, according to a parliament statement.

--IANS

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