March 1689 Earthquake: Tixan, Ecuador
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Tixan, Ecuador in March 1689, 5 km below the surface.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- March 1689
- Place
- Tixan, Ecuador
- Magnitude
- 6.8
- Focal depth
- 5 km (3 mi)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 2.200° S, 78.900° W
- Country
- Ecuador
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #1221 lists catastrophic damages.
Reference #1127 mentions the towns of Tixan near Alausi were ruined by the earthquake in March (the date and time are not indicated) of this year, caused by the collapse of a mountain (Guamani and Yuntana lagoons).
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- February 4, 1797, Riobamba, Quito, Cuzco, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
- June 20, 1698, Tungurahua,cotopaxi,chimborazo, Ecuador
- August 5, 1949, Tungurahua, Ecuador
- February 1640, Ecuador
- February 22, 1757, Cotopaxi,tungurahua, Latacunga, Ecuador
- March 3, 1924, Ecuador
- March 28, 1996, Cotopaxi, Pastaza, Tungurahua, Ambato, Ecuador
- March 18, 2023, Tumbes, Azuay, El Oro, Guayas, Peru, Ecuador
- July 30, 1960, Ecuador
- August 18, 1980, W, Guayaquil, Ecuador
- October 3, 1995, Quito, Ecuador
- September 22, 1987, Ambato, Latacunga, Riobamba, Ecuador
- July 14, 2022, Guayas, Ecuador
- January 31, 2018, Pastaza, Ecuador
- July 27, 1971, Guayaquil, Peru-Ecuador
More
Significant earthquakes of 1689The 1600sRecent earthquakes near here
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 1117.