A FORMER Wolverley school pupil has spoken of the terrifying moment he felt the impact of the Ecuador earthquake while out working in the country.

Alexander Hill is currently living in Cuenca, which is in the Southern part of the country, where he is on a volunteering programme in a school.

But despite being hundreds of miles away, the 19-year-old still felt the impact when the northern coast of the country was hit by the magnitude-7.8 quake on Saturday (April 16) evening.

At least 272 people have been confirmed dead and more than 1,500 left injured following the incident.

Alexander, who went to Wolverley CE Secondary School and  King Edward VI College in Stourbridge, said that despite being hundreds of miles away from the epicentre, tremors had an impact in Cuenca.

He said: “I’m currently living in the city of Cuenca, working in a secondary school and an afterschool centre for children with Lattitude Global Volunteering.

“Cuenca felt the earthquake at around 7pm local time. I originally thought that I was ill or about to faint as the kitchen table appeared to be moving towards and then away from me, I looked up and realised that the whole house was moving.

“It felt like standing on a boat in waves, feeling more like a wave motion than a shake. The lights hanging from the ceiling and the lamps were swaying side to side.

“I could hear crashes from outside, empty plant pots falling off the wall I think. Luckily it wasn't strong enough here to do serious damage but it's still very unnerving to feel the earth moving beneath your feet.

“The quake lasted around 30 seconds, only long enough to realise what was happening. It was not as powerful as on the coast and Cuenca has very little damage, but the fact that it was felt here, in the southern Andes Mountains is incredible seeing as the epicentre was on the northern coast.

“Ecuador is on standstill at the moment and people are shocked and upset as many people here have relatives and friends in the worst affected coastal areas.”