Earthquakes are common in Ecuador . Near the Nazca subduction zone the recorded history of interplate earthquakes spans 80 years . At the time it struck the 1949 Ambato earthquake was the second-worst earthquake in Ecuador 's modern history topped only by the 1797 Riobamba earthquake , and the most devastating earthquake in the Western Hemisphere since the 1944 San Juan earthquake . Several major earthquakes have occurred throughout the country since 1949 , including the 1987 Ecuador earthquakes and the 1997 Ecuador earthquake . The 2007 Peru earthquake also affected the country
1797 Riobamba earthquake
1797 Riobamba earthquake
1949 Ambato earthquake