National Emergency: Heavy Rains Have Affected 46,000 Across Ecuador

Ecuador's rainy season has turned deadly, and the government has declared a national emergency as the damage mounts across every region of the country.

The Emergency Declaration

On March 12, 2026, the Ecuadorian government declared a 60-day national emergency in response to the ongoing rainy season, which has caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure destruction since the beginning of the year.

The declaration, reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), unlocks emergency funding and allows the government to mobilize additional military and civil defense resources to affected areas.

The Numbers

Since January 1, 2026, the rainy season has produced staggering damage:

| Impact | Figure | |--------|--------| | Deaths | 11 | | Injuries | 24 | | Displaced persons | 3,700+ | | Total people affected | 46,000+ | | Bridges collapsed | 19 | | Roads damaged | ~35 km | | Schools with structural damage | 844 | | Rivers overflowed | 22 | | Climate events recorded | 1,600+ |

These are not isolated incidents — the damage spans the coast, the sierra, and the Amazon. INAMHI (Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología), Ecuador's national weather service, has issued continuous heavy rain warnings through at least March 25, with more expected through the end of the rainy season in May.

Regional Impacts

Azuay Province (Cuenca Area)

The Yanuncay River — which runs through the heart of Cuenca's most popular residential neighborhoods — has overflowed, causing flooding in low-lying areas along its banks. A bridge was destroyed in Barabón, a community south of Cuenca on the road toward Girón.

In Cantón Girón (also in Azuay), a landslide destroyed a house and killed one person. Residents in hillside communities have been warned to evacuate if conditions worsen.

Tungurahua Province

A forest fire in Baños de Agua Santa — a popular tourist and expat destination — burned approximately 200 hectares. While the fire was eventually controlled, the combination of drought conditions in some microclimates and heavy rains in others has created unpredictable hazards.

Coastal Provinces

The coast has borne the brunt of the flooding. Rivers in Guayas, Los Ríos, Esmeraldas, and Manabí provinces have overflowed repeatedly, destroying agricultural land, roads, and homes. Many of the 19 collapsed bridges are in coastal areas where rivers swell rapidly during heavy downpours.

Amazon Region

Eastern provinces including Sucumbíos, Orellana, and Morona Santiago have experienced flooding from tributaries of the Amazon basin. Access roads to remote communities have been cut off in multiple locations.

The Forecast

Ecuador's rainy season typically runs from December through May, with the heaviest rainfall occurring between February and April. INAMHI forecasts indicate that above-average rainfall will continue through at least April, meaning the worst may not be over.

The combination of La Niña conditions in the Pacific and warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures along Ecuador's coast has intensified rainfall patterns this year.

What This Means for Expats

• Check road conditions before any intercity travel. Collapsed bridges and damaged roads can turn a 4-hour drive into a 12-hour ordeal — or make routes impassable entirely. The ECU 911 app and social media accounts provide real-time updates
• If you live near a river, monitor water levels closely. The Yanuncay, Tomebamba, Machángara, and Tarqui rivers in Cuenca all have flood potential. Low-lying neighborhoods along riverbanks are highest risk
• Carry emergency supplies in your vehicle when traveling between cities: water, food, a flashlight, a phone charger, and a basic first aid kit. Landslides can strand vehicles for hours
• Avoid mountain roads at night during the rainy season. Landslides are most dangerous when visibility is poor and when saturated hillsides give way after hours of rain
• Travel insurance matters. If you have trips planned during March-May, ensure your insurance covers weather-related disruptions, cancellations, and emergency evacuation
• Emergency contacts: ECU 911 (nationwide emergency line), Cruz Roja Ecuatoriana (Red Cross), and your country's embassy

Sources: OCHA, Infobae, INAMHI, El Mercurio