Pachamama Voices Her Displeasure

It's not a big secret that Ecuador is edging the notorious "Ring of Fire" (did you hear that as a deep voice with an echo? I did.) So, it should come as little surprise that we experience the occasional geologic disturbance aka earthquake. If the location doesn't give it away, then the long ridge of volcanoes that run down the back of the Andes might be a further indicator that the ground likes to rumble.

For the first year or so, we really didn't notice any tremors. When we moved to our new apartment, we'd occasionally get caught in a slight shaking that made it seem like a very heavy truck had just gone by. (But it hadn't, it was a teeny earthquake.) It was slightly off-putting, but over before we even realized it.

Fast forward to the 16th of April 2016,. While we were frolicking in Tasmania, a very large earthquake hit northern Ecuador, devastating large swaths of the northern provinces like Esmereldas. It was a 7.8 on the Richter and classified on the Mercali scale as VIII, meaning severe. We were glad to have missed it, but followed the news of the destruction and loss closely. The quake was felt in Cuenca and was strong enough to crack stucco and open our kitchens drawers.

Earthquake damage 2016

The intensity of the tremors, once we returned, was noticeably stronger, but still not scary or threatening. Again, they were over before we could even react. One did make one of our paintings fall of the wall, due to the directionality, and that was disturbing enough at 5 o'clock in the morning, trust me.

On our return from Europe (I know...we sound so worldly!), in November of 2017, we got caught in an earthquake in Guayaquil. We were on a bus, getting ready to depart and didn't feel a thing, but the bus station (all 3 floors) was evacuated and our trip delayed by at least an hour. When we got home there were two additional tremors that night, which put our teeth on edge.

Then on September 6th, we were sitting at our neighbours' house enjoying a perfectly lovely dinner when the building starts moving. Just as we're realizing what's happening the movement ebbed slightly, only to increase and give us a really good shake. Enough for us to try and find safe harbour in doorways. Some of the tenants in the building actually evacuated.  It shook for less than 30 seconds in Cuenca, probably much less, but I wasn't actually counting Mississippis or one one thousands, to be honest. We're still waiting to get a full damage assessment for the epicentre which is around 200kms away. The video is set in Guayaquil where the quake was much more violent.

We weren't the only ones hit, Japan and Brazil also got shaken up, to varying degrees on the same day. You can talk about tectonic plates and volcanic activity all you want, but I can't help but think, especially in a land where western religion and traditional culture so easily blend that Pachamama is unhappy and I can't help but think that she has a right to be. 

South America and Asia are being deforested at an alarming rate. The world's oceans have more garbage than fish, air and water quality around the world are plummeting and half the world is on fire. We human's are a one army extinction event; the proportions of which the world has never seen before. (That includes the meteor that took out the dinosaurs. That's a reference for you evolutionists!) I know climate change is fake news, despite all of this. The world is flat and only a few thousand years old...sigh.

For me to heed the warning  won't be enough, I'm afraid. I don't know if I'm ready for End of Days, but I may not have a choice, if we can't change our ways and honour the only world we have, by treating her well and healing the wounds that we've caused. If we can't achieve that, prepare to really hear Pachamama roar.