A moderate earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck southeast Ecuador and was felt in several cities in the Andean country.

The quake occurred in Guayaquil, a coastal city in Guayas province, at a depth of 70.98 kilometers, Ecuador's Geophysical Institute said.

Ecuador is in a region of frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Last October, a 5.8-magnitude quake struck Ecuador's border city. Two month before that, a 5.1-magnitude quake hit the country's capital city of Quito, killing two and injuring eight.