Heavy rains in Ecuador have left five rivers and one estuary overflowing in three provinces of the Coastal region, damaging thousands of homes, the National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR) said Monday.

The coastal provinces of Guayas and El Oro, along with the tropical province of Los Ríos, were affected, the SNGR’s official report detailed.

In Los Ríos, Estero Hondo in Puebloviejo, the Babahoyo River and the Chilintomo River overflowed, the report said. A strong downpour during the early morning flooded rural areas such as the Las Cañitas settlement. About 300 families were affected by water entering their homes and contamination of water wells, in addition to the suspension of classes at the local school.

In Guayas, the Balao River overflowed, affecting the Mercado Central and Barrio Nuevo sectors, and the San Rafael River impacted the San Pedro settlement in General Antonio Elizalde (Bucay), the report said.

In El Oro, emergencies were concentrated in Santa Rosa canton, where the Chico and Caluguro rivers overflowed their banks, according to the report.

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The storm left 16 homes completely destroyed, damage to another 4,847 and effects on 10.74 kilometers of road network, the official report said. Authorities also confirmed the collapse of one bridge and structural damage to seven others, complicating access for rescue units to vulnerable areas.

Faced with the health emergency due to contamination of water sources in Babahoyo, the SNGR installed three storage tanks of 2,500 liters each to supply the population and is evaluating the use of local churches as temporary shelters.

Since the red alert was declared for the weather phenomenon on August 29, the number of people affected in the country has risen to 17,142, with 1,354 victims and one deceased. The SNGR counts a total of 349 adverse events that have impacted 22 of Ecuador’s 24 provinces, with the greatest incidence in Esmeraldas, Guayas, Manabí, Los Ríos, Orellana, Imbabura and Pichincha.

Against this backdrop, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (Inamhi) maintains an active watch advisory in anticipation of an increase in rains, electrical storms and wind gusts throughout the country until next Wednesday, October 14.

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