Festival in Ibarra Ecuador in remembrance of the survivors that returned from a devastating earthquake in 1868

There are thousands of festivals each year in Ecuador, many more than one could attend in a lifetime. However, one stands out with origins from a tragedy that hit northeastern Ecuador hard in 1868. Two massive earthquakes of 6.3 and 6.7 magnitude on August 15th, and 16th. Ibarra was devastated. Every building was destroyed. The only surviving reminder of the city were a few walls. Between the two earthqakes including the 15th in Carchi and Ibarra, there were 70,000 casualties. Otavalo suffered 6,000 deaths. Four years later surviving residents returned to reconstruct Ibarra from the ground up.On 26 April each year, in the ‘El Retorno’ festival, Ibarra celebrates the return of the inhabitants in 1872 after a four-year absence following the earthquake. remembrance

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