More than 14,000 people affected by overflowing rivers in Ecuador

The number of people affected by the overflowing of six rivers due to heavy rains registered last weekend in the province of Esmeraldas, in the northwest of Ecuador and bordering Colombia, increased to 14,186, informed the Secretariat of Risk Management on Tuesday.

The last balance of the entity counted 1,467 people rescued from dozens of homes flooded in the cantons of Atacames, Esmeraldas, Muisne, and Quinindé affected by the tragedy, which also caused landslides.

According to the agency, 2,895 homes and 21 academic units, and seven closed health centers were affected.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, who flew over the area on Monday to assess the damage, said today that Esmeraldas received the amount of rain of the entire month in 12 continuous hours of rainfall it endured last Saturday and Sunday.

“Since Saturday, Police, Armed Forces, and rescuers from several institutions have been collaborating in assisting citizens and rescuing people using boats, launches, and even helicopters”, said the Ecuadorian president during an official act.

He added that 4,000 food kits (packages) had been delivered to those affected and announced an “emergency rental voucher” for three months would be given to those who lost their homes.

In addition, he said, the public development bank BanEcuador will provide loans for economic reactivation and is defining the delivery of US$ 100 million in reconstruction projects in Esmeraldas.

To attend to the emergency, 1,287 military and police personnel were deployed, 842 victims were placed in temporary shelters, and 566 patients were treated in a Mobile Health Unit.

At the same time, the Secretariat of Risk Management has mobilized 12.5 tons of humanitarian assistance to the affected areas, while several donation points have been activated nationwide.

The rainy season that Ecuador has been enduring since last January has so far left 36 dead, 114,416 people affected, and material damage to homes, roads, and crops, in 12 of the 24 provinces of the country, according to the latest report of the Secretariat.

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