7.8 magnitude earthquake 29 km from Muisne, Esmeraldas, Ecuador. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Ecuador's coast Saturday, leaving at least 41 people dead and causing buildings to shake in cities more than 100 miles away and collapsing an overpass, authorities and witnesses said. The temblor struck just before 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. ET) with an epicenter 16 miles south-southeast of the coastal town of Muisne, located on the country's northwestern coast, the U.S. National Geological Survey said. The quake was recorded at a depth of about 12 miles. Ecuador's Vice President Jorge Glas said 28 people were killed according to initial information. A strong 7.8 earthquake has struck Ecuador, with the epicenter located on the coastline some 107 miles (173 km) west northwest of the capital Quito. “Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 km of the epicenter along the coasts of Ecuador and Colombia,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.