Magnitude 2.9 earthquake felt lightly in Ecuador's Quito and Rumiñahui areas

A light earthquake measuring 2.9 MLv shook parts of Ecuador early Saturday morning. The tremor, which occurred at 04:34:31 on August 15, 2026, had its epicenter near Sangolquí in Pichincha province.

While the earthquake's magnitude was relatively small, it was felt distinctly in the Rumiñahui and Quito areas. The Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School (IG-EPN) reported the epicenter was 9.42 kilometers from Sangolquí, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers. The official coordinates were 0.277 degrees south latitude and 78.384 degrees west longitude.

The National Secretariat for Risk Management confirmed the light intensity of the shaking in Rumiñahui and Quito. As of Saturday morning, the secretariat had not reported any injuries, property damage, or service disruptions linked to the event. Authorities stated they are maintaining ongoing monitoring.

The IG-EPN noted that the perception of an earthquake depends not only on its magnitude but also on factors like depth, distance from the epicenter, and local ground and building conditions. This event follows other seismic activity registered in Ecuador during the week, including tremors in Guayas and Los Ríos.