The death toll from the Ecuador earthquake rose to 272 on Sunday.

The 7.8 magnitude quake struck off the Pacific coast on Saturday and has destroyed buildings, bridges and roads.

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has confirmed 272 deaths and 2,068 injured, and told Reuters that he feared those figures would increase.

Coastal areas, including popular tourist spot Pedernales, were hardest hit.

At least 40 hotels in the town have collapsed, with local mayor Gabriel Alcivar saying that there were ‘lots of tourists’ staying in them.

A state of emergency has been declared in six provinces but tsunami warnings along the coastline have ceased.

All airports within Ecuador are operating without disruption. Residents of the Galapagos Islands have confirmed that they were not affected by the quake.