As emergency personnel work furiously, around the clock, to find survivors along the coastal region that was ravaged by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on 16 April, one team joyously rescued a trapped dog, buried in what remains of the town of Manta.

The team, made up of Ecuador national police officers, were searching through the rubble of a flattened concrete building when they detected signs of life, which turned out to be a little white dog. The officers pulled on gloves and lifted the dog to safety.

Over 413 people have died in the earthquake and over 300 aftershocks have rattled the region in the past two days. Survivors complained about lack of electricity and supplies, and aid had still not reached some areas. President Rafael Correa estimated it would cost billions to rebuild the area. cl;aiming he would put a huge toll on the poor Andean country that plays home to more than 16 million people.

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