In his regular Saturday TV broadcast on April 23, President Rafael Correa said that the death toll has risen to 646 in the aftermath of the quake, The Guardian reports. More than 130 others are still missing. "These have been sad days for the homeland," Correa said.More than 26,000 people are living in shelters after the 7.8-magnitude quake destroyed buildings and highways along the Ecuadorian coast. Impassable roads have made it difficult for rescue workers to help those affected.A week after the earthquake, rebuilding costs are being estimated at 2 to 3 billion dollars and the government has announced plans to implement a number of short-term or one-off tax measures in order to fund reconstruction efforts. CNN reports that the government plans to institute a temporary sales tax increase for the span of one year, as well as sell off governmental assets. In the meantime, the nation’s private banking association will defer payments on credit, loans, and mortgages for clients affected by the quake for three months to allow for reconstruction efforts, according to The Guardian.