Quito to conduct large-scale earthquake evacuation drill

The Municipality of Quito will conduct the ‘Quito se Prepara 2026’ earthquake evacuation drill on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 10:00 AM. The exercise involves 1,377 entities and organized groups, with over 341,000 participants registered to test response capacities, coordination, and evacuation procedures.

The Quito Metro will participate in the drill, which includes a surprise element such as stopping a train to evacuate passengers. As a result, the La Magdalena and Jipijapa stations will temporarily close their entrances to passengers during the exercise. Other stations will maintain regular service.

Gustavo Chiriboga, Secretary of Citizen Security and Risk Management, noted that the drill aims to evaluate the Metropolitan Risk Management System and prepare citizens for inevitable emergency situations. Authorities recommend that residents prepare emergency kits and secure household furniture in anticipation of seismic events.