August 11, 1990 Earthquake: Pamasqui, Quito, Ecuador
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck Pamasqui, Quito, Ecuador on August 11, 1990 at 02:59:54 UTC, 5 km below the surface. It killed 4 people.
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
- August 11, 1990
- Time
- 02:59:54 UTC
- Place
- Pamasqui, Quito, Ecuador
- Magnitude
- 4.4 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 5 km (3 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 0.059° S, 78.449° W
- Country
- Ecuador
The toll
- Deaths
- 4
- Injuries
- 10
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses damaged
- 1,300
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.
1990, Aug 11. At least 4 people killed, 10 injured, 1,300 houses damaged and landslides in the Pamasqui area. Felt strongly at Quito. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 16, 1868, San Pablo, Guayaquil,ibarra, Colombia, Ecuador
- February 4, 1797, Riobamba, Quito, Cuzco, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador
- June 20, 1698, Tungurahua,cotopaxi,chimborazo, Ecuador
- August 5, 1949, Tungurahua, Ecuador
- March 6, 1987, Napo Province, Quito, Tulcan, Ecuador
- February 1640, Ecuador
- February 22, 1757, Cotopaxi,tungurahua, Latacunga, Ecuador
- January 31, 1906, Off Coast, Ecuador
- April 16, 2016, Manabi, Esmeraldas, Near West Coast, Ecuador
- December 14, 1923, Ipiales, Colombia
- January 9, 1936, Colombia
- March 3, 1924, Ecuador
- March 28, 1996, Cotopaxi, Pastaza, Tungurahua, Ambato, Ecuador
- July 30, 1960, Ecuador
- April 9, 1976, Esmeraldos, Ecuador
More
Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
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 5258.