In 1797, a devastating earthquake struck Quito, Ecuador, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life, with estimates of up to 40,000 casualties. This natural disaster flattened the city of Riobamba and had profound social and economic repercussions for the region. The earthquake underscored the vulnerability of Andean communities to seismic activity and influenced urban planning and disaster preparedness in subsequent years.

The Great Earthquake of Quito in 1797 physically rearranged the native topography, influencing early Spanish-American neoclassical verse. Poets linked the volcanic landscape's power to a unique regional identity, reflecting the profound impact of natural events on cultural expression.