Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
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A severe flooding emergency in Zamora Chinchipe left five people dead, trapped residents on roofs and river islets, and disrupted the Loja-Zamora route. Rescue teams reported 38 civilians and 10 firefighters brought to safety.
At least 460 hospitals and health centers are located in Ecuador parishes under yellow alert for El Nino. Most are small health centers, and the risk list is concentrated heavily in Manabi and Guayas.
The tourist yacht Evolution ran aground near Punta Estrada on Santa Cruz Island on June 26. Puerto Ayora’s port captaincy activated response protocols and requested support from nearby vessels while authorities evaluated the situation.
A strong storm in Santo Domingo on the night of June 25 caused flooded homes and damage to educational and sports infrastructure. Emergency calls came after 23:00, with responders mobilized through ECU 911.
After two major earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, Ecuador activated assistance channels for Ecuadorians in the affected area. The update matters for residents with family or travel ties in Venezuela.
Manabí remains under yellow alert as authorities prepare for possible El Niño impacts. Risk work is focused on river basins, rural flood zones, unstable slopes and historically affected cantons including Chone, Portoviejo, Rocafuerte, Sucre, Santa Ana, Montecristi and Jipijapa.
A water-service interruption affected several communes, neighborhoods and settlements along Guayaquil’s Vía a la Costa on June 21, 2026. Interagua said the problem came from a leak in the aqueduct near kilometer 51 and began supplying affected areas with tanker trucks.
Ecuador’s new state of exception applies for 60 days in ten provinces and three cantons. There is no curfew for now, but the decree allows temporary limits on home and correspondence protections while security forces operate in the covered areas.
Ecuador has placed 17 provinces, 143 cantons and 491 parishes under a preventive yellow alert for a possible El Nino event. Local governments have until June 23 to submit action plans, but only three municipalities had filed plans as of June 15.
The Infrastructure and Transport Ministry announced an emergency declaration for the Cuenca-Giron-Pasaje road after landslides closed the section between kilometer 76 and 105. Authorities estimate about 200,000 cubic meters of material on the roadway.
A frontal crash between a pickup truck and a cargo truck near the Zapotal bridge left 12 people dead on June 14. ECU 911 said the crash happened at about 04:14 on the Guayaquil-Santa Elena highway.
Ecuador recorded 2,539 disappearance reports between January and April 2026, up 2.1% from the same period of 2025. Adolescents accounted for 1,289 cases, making them the largest reported age group.
