In Ecuador, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake left at least 480 killed and 4,000 injured on Saturday, April 16, according to CNN News.

“We’re removing debris, and we will very likely find more bodies,” defense minister Ricardo Patiño said in an interview with CNN. “It’s going to take us years to recover from this.”

Rescue crews sent aid from Latin America into South America soon after the disaster, especially along the coast.

Meanwhile another powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 magnitude struck Ecuador’s disaster-stricken coast on Thursday, as survivors of the preceding quake implored for assistance in parts of the disaster zone.

According to NBC News, in the past 30 days there have been multiple quakes in Ecuador, all ranging from a magnitude of greater than or equal to 4.2.

“This wasn’t just a house that collapsed. It was an entire town,” Gabriel Alcivar, mayor of Pedernales, a town of 40,000 near the quake’s epicenter, said.

A large crowd of people gathered, chanting for food and water. President Rafael Correa’s government faced a large rebuilding task at a time of greatly decreased oil revenues in the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Companies) nation. However, he stated in an interview that there was no lack of supplies; just problems with distribution that should be resolved.

The government sent supplies to main towns and constructed shelters for approximately 25,000 people in sports stadiums and airports, according to CNN news.

Correa mentioned that Ecuador would raise taxes temporarily, offer assets for sale and issue bonds overseas to fund  reconstruction from the damage.

With frequent earthquakes occurring in Ecuador, geologists predict ominous future quakes in California.  According to The Guardian, research suggests that the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults have ruptured together in the past, and may trigger more powerful damage- more than what is expected.