President Tran Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 18 extended their condolences to President of Ecuador Rafael Correa over the substantial human and material losses caused by the April 16 earthquake.

Scene of collapse after the earthquake

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also conveyed his sympathy to Ecuador’s FM Guillaume Long.

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador on April 16, killing at least 272 people as of April 18, according to international media. More than 2,000 people were injured as structures tumbled during the quake or its dozens of aftershocks.

Vietnam offers sympathy to Ecuador over earthquake losses

Vietnam shares the losses and pain of the Government and people of Ecuador from the recent earthquake which killed hundreds of people, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh has said.

“We hope Ecuador will overcome this difficult moment, stabilise the situation and continue to prosper”, the spokesperson said on April 18.

Binh also expressed sorrow at consecutive natural disasters during recent days in several countries, including the earthquake in Ecuador, which inflicted not only heavy casualties but also great material and spiritual damages on thousands of people.

The spokesperson cited reports from the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile and Ecuador which said there is no Vietnamese citizen in the earthquake-hit areas. The embassy is working closely with local relevant agencies to provide support when needed.

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador on April 16, killing at least 272 people as of April 18, according to international media. More than 2,000 people were injured as structures tumbled during the quake or its dozens of aftershocks.

Condolences to Japan over earthquakes

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc extended condolences to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe over great losses of life and property caused by in recent consecutive earthquakes in Kumamoto prefecture and surrounding areas.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh conveyed his sympathy to Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

Two powerful earthquakes a day apart shook southwestern Japan, killing at least 29 people and injuring 1,500.

On April 14, the southwestern island of Kyushu was hit by a magnitude 6.5 quake that left 10 dead. Early on April 16, a magnitude 7.3 quake shook Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu, costing the lives of 19 people.-

Vietnam sympathises with Japanese over earthquakes

Vietnam sympathised with the Japanese Government and people over losses sparked by fresh consecutive earthquakes, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Hai Binh has said.

“We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and strongly believe that with their efforts and willpower, the Japanese Government and people will shortly overcome this difficult moment and stabilise the situation,” the diplomat said on April 16.

Two powerful earthquakes a day apart shook southwestern Japan, killing at least 29 people and injuring 1,500.

On April 14, the southwestern island of Kyushu was hit by a magnitude 6.5 quake that left 10 dead. Early on April 16, a magnitude 7.3 quake shook Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu, costing the lives of 19 people.

Regarding Vietnamese citizens living in Japan, Binh quoted the Vietnam Embassy in Japan and the Consul General in Fukuoka as saying that they have yet to receive any information about Vietnamese casualties in these quakes.

Vietnam’s representative offices in Japan are working closely with local relevant agencies and are designing support plans when needed, he said.

The Embassy and the Consul General of Vietnam in Japan established hotlines (+81) 80 3590 9136, (+81) 80 3984 6668 and (+81) 80 3904 0198 to receive updated news related to Vietnamese nationals in the quakes.

VNA