Powerful Ecuador earthquake kills 233

At least 233 people died after Ecuador was hit Saturday with its strongest earthquake since 1979, The Associated Press reports. Hundreds more were injured. President Rafael Correa declared a national state of emergency.

The magnitude-7.8 quake struck near fishing ports and tourist beaches 105 miles northwest of Quito, the nation's capital. Ecuador's earthquake was six times as strong as the more powerful of the two that shook Japan a day earlier, a geosciences professor told AP.

This post has been updated throughout.