Spotlight: Death toll in Ecuador earthquake climbs to 499, economic losses huge

Saturday's major earthquake in Ecuador has left at least 499 dead, the Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday.

In the worst-hit area of Pedernales in the western province of Manabi, 159 deaths have been registered. In the tourist port of Manta, 142 bodies were found. In Portoviejo, capital of Manabi, all 116 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families, according to the office.

In addition, at least 4,027 people were injured and 231 people were missing, the National Ministry for Risk Management announced previously.

The ministry also said that 20,503 people are currently being housed in shelters after the magnitude-7.8 earthquake.

Some good news broke the gloom Tuesday as three people were found alive in the rubble of a building in Manta, according to Ecuador's firefighter chief Ebber Arroyo.

"We found three people alive at around 4:30 a.m., and we are continuing the work to find survivors," said Arroyo.

The rescued, two women and a man, were immediately taken to hospital for urgent medical care.

Vice President Jorge Glas said in a Twitter update Tuesday morning that power supply was coming back in most of Manabi, and an evaluation of the infrastructure would be carried out once power is fully restored.

The government has ordered 12,000 food rations and bottled water for people affected by the quake, announced Public Administration Secretary Pedro Solines.

Defense Minister Ricardo Patino said that they are concentrating on humanitarian aid for the moment. A reconstruction plan for Manabi and other affected areas would be established later on.

International rescue teams and aid are flooding into Ecuador. The Red Cross Society of China has provided 100,000 U.S. dollars in cash for emergency assistance, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

The Chinese government is accelerating the making of a humanitarian assistance plan and will provide satellite pictures to Ecuador for relief efforts.

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa, who was visiting the disaster area Tuesday, estimated that losses due to the quake would amount to around 3 billion U.S. dollars, or 3 percent of the gross domestic product.

Correa said Monday that local governments were responsible for the poor construction of some buildings that collapsed in the quake.

"We would draw lessons for the future from this painful experience," he said, asking for far more rigorous construction norms. Endi