Ecuador earthquakes

M6.0 earthquake 14 km W of Cotacachi, Ecuador

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 14 km W of Cotacachi, Ecuador on Wed, Jul 20, 1955, 4:00 PM GMT-5 (21:00 UTC), 15 km (9 mi) below the surface.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
6.0 (mw), strong
Local time
UTC
1955-07-20 21:00:47 UTC
Depth
15.0 km (9.3 mi), shallow
Epicenter
0.303° N, 78.394° W
Region
Ecuador
Strongest shaking
VII, very strong shaking
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Shaking

The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.

Strongest estimated
VII, very strong shaking
Peak ground acceleration
26.9% of gravity
Peak ground velocity
3.0 cm/s
Map
Automatic
USGS ShakeMap: estimated shaking intensity around the epicenter
Estimated shaking intensity. Map: USGS ShakeMap.

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude uncertainty
±0.35
Depth from
From location

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.

None recorded.

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem889774. Read Mon, Sep 21, 2026, 10:19 PM UTC.