Deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador
Ecuador: Deaths from earthquakes was 15 deaths in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador, 1640–2023
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2023, deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador stood at 15 deaths.
That represents a change of up 650.0% on the previous year and up 400.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador peaked at 70,000 deaths in 1868 and was at its lowest, 1 deaths, in 2018.
Ecuador ranks 11th of 51 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1640 | 5,000 deaths | — |
| 1698 | 6,500 deaths | +30.0% |
| 1757 | 1,000 deaths | -84.6% |
| 1797 | 40,000 deaths | +3900.0% |
| 1868 | 70,000 deaths | +75.0% |
| 1906 | 1,000 deaths | -98.6% |
| 1924 | 40 deaths | -96.0% |
| 1942 | 200 deaths | +400.0% |
| 1949 | 6,000 deaths | +2900.0% |
| 1960 | 11 deaths | -99.8% |
| 1976 | 10 deaths | -9.1% |
| 1980 | 8 deaths | -20.0% |
| 1987 | 5,002 deaths | +62425.0% |
| 1990 | 4 deaths | -99.9% |
| 1995 | 2 deaths | -50.0% |
| 1996 | 27 deaths | +1250.0% |
| 1998 | 3 deaths | -88.9% |
| 2014 | 3 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 667 deaths | +22133.3% |
| 2018 | 1 deaths | -99.9% |
| 2019 | 1 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2 deaths | +100.0% |
| 2023 | 15 deaths | +650.0% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 15 deaths is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3 deaths, 5.0× the median. (17 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 15 deaths is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3 deaths, 5.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +62425.0% | 8 deaths | 5,002 deaths |
| 2016 | +22133.3% | 3 deaths | 667 deaths |
| 1797 | +3900.0% | 1,000 deaths | 40,000 deaths |
| 1949 | +2900.0% | 200 deaths | 6,000 deaths |
| 1996 | +1250.0% | 2 deaths | 27 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1640s | 5,000 deaths | 5,000 deaths | 5,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1690s | 6,500 deaths | 6,500 deaths | 6,500 deaths | 1 |
| 1750s | 1,000 deaths | 1,000 deaths | 1,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1790s | 40,000 deaths | 40,000 deaths | 40,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1860s | 70,000 deaths | 70,000 deaths | 70,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1900s | 1,000 deaths | 1,000 deaths | 1,000 deaths | 1 |
| 1920s | 40 deaths | 40 deaths | 40 deaths | 1 |
| 1940s | 3,100 deaths | 200 deaths | 6,000 deaths | 2 |
| 1960s | 11 deaths | 11 deaths | 11 deaths | 1 |
| 1970s | 10 deaths | 10 deaths | 10 deaths | 1 |
| 1980s | 2,505 deaths | 8 deaths | 5,002 deaths | 2 |
| 1990s | 9 deaths | 2 deaths | 27 deaths | 4 |
| 2010s | 168 deaths | 1 deaths | 667 deaths | 4 |
| 2020s | 8.5 deaths | 2 deaths | 15 deaths | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More health data for Ecuador
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6766 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,324 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 354 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0362 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador?
- Deaths from earthquakes in Ecuador was 15 deaths in 2023, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deaths from earthquakes recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 70,000 deaths in 1868.
- What is the lowest deaths from earthquakes recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 deaths in 2018.
- How does Ecuador rank for deaths from earthquakes?
- Ecuador ranks 11th out of 51 countries with data for 2023.
- Is deaths from earthquakes rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 400.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ecuador data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Deaths from earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Includes direct deaths from the event plus those from secondary impacts, such as a tsunami triggered by an earthquake. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.