Loja Province Triples Emergency Aid Stockpiles as Rainy Season Batters Southern Sierra

Ecuador's southern highlands are bracing for more rain — and the emergency response system is scaling up faster than any previous year.

The Alert Level

Loja province is currently under orange alert per Resolution 028-2026 issued by the National Risk Management Secretariat (SNGRE). Emergency operations committees at the parish, cantonal, and provincial levels are in permanent session, monitoring conditions around the clock.

Three cantons have been specifically flagged for elevated risk:

• Celica — western Loja, near the Peruvian border
• Puyango — southwestern Loja, a gold mining and agricultural zone
• Chaguarpamba — western Loja, a small agricultural canton

Particular concern centers on Cerro Tintanil, where recent heavy rainfall has raised the risk of landslides and debris flows.

The Emergency Stockpile

César Uyaguari Carrión, the Zonal Coordinator 7 of the SNGRE (covering Loja, Zamora Chinchipe, and El Oro provinces), confirmed that emergency warehouses across the three-province zone now hold more than 6,000 humanitarian assistance kits — roughly three times the historical average for this time of year.

Each kit typically contains:

• Non-perishable food supplies
• Potable water
• Blankets and bedding
• Basic hygiene supplies
• First aid materials

The stockpile increase signals that authorities expect this rainy season to be significantly worse than average.

Carnival Weekend Staffing

Despite the four-day Carnival holiday, 22 SNGRE officials will remain on standby duty throughout the weekend to coordinate any emergency response. Additionally, over 1,000 police officers have been deployed across Loja province for Carnival security operations.

Context: A Pattern of Intensifying Seasons

This alert follows weeks of escalating weather impacts across Loja province and the broader southern sierra. As we reported earlier this month, the Vilcabamba and Loja road network has already suffered significant damage from the current rainy season, and the Malacatos sewage rupture raised water quality concerns in the valley.

The national forecast for Carnival weekend calls for frequent rainfall with intense downpours and thunderstorms across the sierra, with the coast seeing partly cloudy skies and high UV. The sierra — including Loja — will bear the brunt.

What This Means for Expats

• Vilcabamba residents: While Vilcabamba itself wasn't named in the cantonal alerts, the entire province is on orange alert. Valley rivers can rise rapidly during intense rainfall. Monitor water levels and avoid low-lying areas during storms
• Road travel: If you're driving between Vilcabamba, Loja, and surrounding communities, check conditions before departing. Landslides have already affected multiple routes this season
• Emergency preparedness: Keep a 72-hour emergency kit at home — water, non-perishable food, flashlight, batteries, medications, and important documents in a waterproof bag. This is standard advice that too many people ignore until it's too late
• Communication: Save the ECU 911 number in your phone. For non-emergency weather and road information, follow SNGRE on social media
• Property owners: If you own property on slopes or near waterways in Loja province, assess drainage around your home. Clear gutters and ensure water flows away from foundations. This season is testing infrastructure
• Malacatos/Vilcabamba water: Continue monitoring local water quality advisories, especially after heavy rains that can overwhelm damaged infrastructure

Source: Diario Crónica (Loja)