YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS. Number of children affected by Ecuador earthquake reaches 250,000 half of which is unable to go to school as a result of destructions of school buildings, “Armenpress” reports, citing the UNICEF.

“More than 280 schools have been damaged by the earthquake that hit Ecuador on April 16, leaving up to 120,000 children temporarily without education,” UNICEF reports.   

UNICEF and its humanitarian partners need $23 million to respond to children’s immediate needs in water, sanitation, education, child protection, health and nutrition over the next three months. 

Earlier Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O'Brien asked the international donors to give $73 million to support Ecuador.  

The magnitude-7.8 quake struck on in the evening of April 16. Coastal areas in the north-west were closest to the epicenter. According to the recent data 655 people died, 48 are missing, more than 17.000 residents receive medical treatment. The damage to the country is estimated several billion dollars, TASS reports.

Photo by AP