Magnitude 6.0 quake hits off Ecuador coast

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck just off the coast of central Ecuador on Friday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, though the government said damage was limited.

The government's ECU 911 safety service said there were no major incidents and a tsunami had been ruled out.

The USGS said the quake's epicentre was 55 miles (88.5 km)northwest of Portoviejo at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km) below the Pacific seabed. The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.1, struck at 5:29 p.m. (2229 GMT).

Last year, a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador's Pacific coast in April, killing more than 650 people.

State oil company Petroecuador's operations remained normal after Friday's quake, a spokesman said.