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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Disasters & Emergencies

Prevention, not superstition, is what saves us from an earthquake

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified Context piece
  • Ecuador faces a recurring fear of earthquakes after tremors in neighboring Venezuela and Colombia, but seismologists stress there is no scientific basis for predicting quakes based on regional events.
  • Situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Ecuador is highly seismic, with the Nazca plate sliding beneath the South American plate accumulating energy that can be released suddenly.
  • Despite the known risks, preparedness remains a concern, with questions about building code compliance, public awareness, and updated municipal protocols since the devastating 2016 earthquake.

The fear of earthquakes in Ecuador resurfaces with unsettling regularity, often triggered by seismic activity in neighboring countries like Venezuela and Colombia. This cyclical anxiety, however, is not grounded in scientific prediction. Seismologists consistently emphasize that earthquakes do not follow predictable patterns or regional "turns," debunking the notion that a quake in one country signals an imminent one in another.

Earthquakes do not give notice, they do not follow turns, nor do they obey a kind of regional chain that can be anticipated.

— seismologistsExplaining that seismic activity in one country does not predict quakes in another.

Ecuador's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire places it in a geologically volatile zone. Here, the Nazca tectonic plate subducts beneath the South American plate, a slow process that builds immense pressure. When this accumulated energy is released, it results in significant seismic events. The country's seismic and volcanic nature, alongside other potential threats, underscores the critical importance of preparedness.

The devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Ecuador on April 16, 2016, should have served as a permanent lesson. Yet, the focus on prevention seems to wane between major events. Questions linger about the current state of readiness: how many buildings adhere to seismic-resistant standards, whether families understand their home's safety, and if municipalities have updated their emergency protocols for secure construction.

The problem is not recognizing that risk. The problem is remembering it only when it shakes in another country.

— authorCritiquing the reactive approach to earthquake preparedness in Ecuador.

True prevention is not merely a slogan or a temporary calming measure. It involves verified information, continuous training, and concrete actions, from structural assessments of homes to educating citizens on safety during tremors. Sustained effort in these areas is the only reliable path to preparedness. Anything else amounts to speculation and misinformation, amplified by the rapid spread of unverified claims on social media.

Prevention is not a campaign slogan or a phrase to calm spirits. It is verified information, constant training, and concrete decisions, from checking the structure of a house to knowing where to stand during the movement.

— authorDefining the essential components of effective earthquake preparedness.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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