At least 12 people were killed and one injured as a result of the earthquake in Ecuador and Peru, reports France24.

 This Saturday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 and a depth of about 66 kilometers occurred in Ecuador and Peru. According to authorities, its epicenter was in the Ecuadorian municipality of Balao, near the border with Peru.

 "At the moment, 12 deaths have been registered (11 in the province of El Oro and one in the province of Asuay)," - said the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso.

 The tremors were also felt strongly in other cities, including Guayaquil, Quito, Manabí and Mantua, according to reports on social media.

 There have also been no reported deaths or major damage in Peru, where the quake appears to have been less severe.

 Ecuador's president called on people to remain calm and "receive information only through official channels."

 Peru's seismological authorities initially reported the earthquake as a magnitude 7.0, but downgraded it to 6.7 within hours.

 The head of the National Seismological Center of Peru, Hernando Tavera, assured that there are no reports of injured people or damage to buildings.