UN development agency monitoring buildings in Ecuador following aftershocks

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday began monitoring the situation in Ecuador closely, assessing aftershock-struck areas, especially the previously affected houses and buildings, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

A 6.8-magnitude aftershock rattled Ecuador on Wednesday in the coastal area near the place where the worst earthquake to hit the Andean country in decades struck last month.

"UNDP is also kicking off the second, larger phase, of its recovery programme, training affected communities so they can repair key infrastructure and houses, with a special emphasis on providing opportunities and access for people with disabilities," the spokesman said at a daily news briefing here.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ecuador was hit with two aftershocks, hours apart.

The first one struck shortly before 3 a.m. local time, at a shallow depth of about 32 kilometers, registering a magnitude of 6.7, according to U.S. Geological Survey. It added that the second one occurred hours later and registered 7.2.

However, Ecuador's Geophysical Institute registered the two quakes as 6.8 degree.

According to the Geophysical Institute, the two earthquakes were aftershocks from the 7.8-magnitude quake that rocked Ecuador's northern coast on April 16, killing at least 661 people and injuring around 16,600.

Hundreds of aftershocks were recorded following the April earthquake, with Wednesday's two being the strongest so far. Endit