Authorities said at least 27 inmates were found dead by asphyxiation Sunday afternoon at an Ecuadoran prison where an armed riot left four others dead and dozens injured in the morning.

In a statement, prison authorities said the 27 individuals found dead at the Machala prison in El Oro province had "among themselves committed asphyxiation, which caused immediate death by suspension."

Authorities said they were still working to "fully clarify the facts," and forensic medical personnel were on site to verify information.

The deadly day at Machala's prison marks the latest spasm of prison unrest in the South American country.

Ecuadoran prisons have become operational centers for rival drug-trafficking gangs, with over 500 inmates killed in fighting between groups competing to control the

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