Earthquakes in Ecuador Today
Off Ecuador's coast the Nazca plate subducts beneath South America, producing great megathrust earthquakes such as those of 1906 and 2016 (Mw 7.8). Inland, active faults cross the Andean highlands near Quito, and the country also hosts many active volcanoes.
Danger Level (72h)
72-hour composite hazard forecast
Recent Quakes (30d)
Recorded in the last 30 days
Max Magnitude (30d)
Largest earthquake in the last 30 days
San Martín, Peru
10mo ago•101.9 km•Felt by about 4,750,872 people
Recent earthquakes
20Counts cover the seismic belts this platform monitors in Ecuador, not its administrative borders. A monitored belt can reach across a border, and events there are listed with the country of their epicentre.
Monitored regions
Volcanoes of Ecuador
5 dedicated profiles · 36 Holocene volcanoes in total
Tectonic setting
Off Ecuador's coast the Nazca plate subducts beneath South America, producing great megathrust earthquakes such as those of 1906 and 2016 (Mw 7.8). Inland, active faults cross the Andean highlands near Quito, and the country also hosts many active volcanoes.
Frequently asked questions
How often do earthquakes occur in Ecuador?
Our catalogue recorded 22 earthquakes across the 1 seismic belts monitored in Ecuador over the last 30 days, the strongest reaching M4.7.
Why are there so many earthquakes in Ecuador?
Off Ecuador's coast the Nazca plate subducts beneath South America, producing great megathrust earthquakes such as those of 1906 and 2016 (Mw 7.8). Inland, active faults cross the Andean highlands near Quito, and the country also hosts many active volcanoes.
What was the strongest earthquake in Ecuador?
The strongest earthquake in Ecuador in our historical catalogue is the M8.8 event of January 31, 1906. Death toll: 1,000.
What is the emergency number in Ecuador?
The emergency number in Ecuador is 911, answered by ECU 911. After strong shaking, keep the line free for those trapped or injured and check official channels for aftershock and tsunami advisories.
Who monitors earthquakes in Ecuador?
The national seismic authority is Instituto Geofísico, Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN). EarthquakeLive cross-checks its bulletins against 18 international networks, so an event may appear here with a slightly different magnitude until the agencies converge on a final solution.