Ecuador has experienced severe rainfall since February 14, 2025, impacting multiple provinces and their populations. The National Secretariat of Risk Management declared RED, ORANGE, and YELLOW ALERTS in response to the flooding, leading to a state of regional emergency. This emergency declaration allows for resource mobilization to address the damages, particularly in health infrastructure.
Since February 14, 2025, several provinces in Ecuador, including Esmeraldas, Manabí, Guayas, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo, Los Ríos, and El Salvador, have experienced excessive rainfall. This precipitation has severely impacted the livelihoods, housing, and well-being of the local population.
In response to the heavy rainfall, the National Secretariat of Risk Management issued two significant resolutions. Resolution No. SNGR-046-2025 declared a RED ALERT for provinces such as El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Manabí, Los Ríos, and Santa Elena, anticipating landslides due to the rainfall. In addition, an ORANGE ALERT was established for Azuay, Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Loja, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, with a YELLOW ALERT for 12 other provinces across Ecuador to mitigate potential dangers associated with the rains.
On February 25, 2025, the National Secretariat of Risk Management enacted RESOLUTION No. SNGR-050-2025, declaring a 60-day state of regional emergency. This declaration, prompted by the severe and recurring climate events, aims to address the detrimental impacts on individuals, housing, essential services, and infrastructure. The emergency response will facilitate the mobilization of necessary funds and personnel to the most affected provinces: Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Santa Elena, Loja, and Azuay.
The recent flooding has inflicted substantial damage on health infrastructure particularly in Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, Guayas, and El Oro. This extensive damage has compromised the operational capacity of health facilities, which are vital for community health and safety.
The heavy rainfall in Ecuador since mid-February has led to significant adverse outcomes, prompting the government to declare various levels of alerts across multiple provinces. A regional emergency was declared to mobilize resources effectively and address the impacts on housing and health infrastructure. The situation poses urgent challenges to the affected populations and requires ongoing attention and support to restore normalcy.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
