AFP reporters felt the shake before 7:00 am local time (1200 GMT).

Monitors said the epicenter was near the Pacific coast of Esmeraldas, at a depth of about 35 kilometers (22 miles).

There were no immediate reports of victims or severe damage and Ecuadoran authorities said there was no tsunami risk.

Ecuador sits on one of the most geologically active zones on Earth, and the fault between the Nazca and South American plates runs along its coast.