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News > Latin America

Ecuador's New Flood Defenses Will Protect 150,000 People

  • The new flood defense projects will protect Ecuadoreans from the effects of the winter wet season.

    The new flood defense projects will protect Ecuadoreans from the effects of the winter wet season. | Photo: El Telegrafo

Published 12 January 2016
Opinion

The works have a combined investment of US$495 million and will protect 40,000 hectares of land, while saving millions of dollars.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa opened Tuesday two new flood-defense mega projects that will protect 150,000 people and save millions of dollars from the effects of extreme weather. Correa said that the Canar and Naranjal Flood Controls “will avoid the loss of US$105 million in crops.”

RELATED: Ecuador's Global Challenge: Tackling Poverty and Climate Change

According to the National Ministry of Water, these hydrological projects compliments the work with the Bulubulu project, in that these zones are now protected from the effects of the winter wet season.

The works had a combined investment of US$495 millions and will protect 40,000 hectares of land.

ANALYSIS: Climate Short-Changed? Green Groups Seek Funds for Poor States

Much of South America is suffering from the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon, battered by devastating floods.

So far, Paraguay has been the most affected country in Latin America by El Nino, with 130,000 people having to evacuate their homes due to vast flooding in December. Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay were also hit, with thousands of citizens having to abandon their homes.

There is a 90 percent possibility that El Nino will linger until March, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and it could be the strongest one on record.

WATCH: South American Floods Displace 180,000

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