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A mudflow of rocks and debris cascaded through the streets of Alausí on Wednesday — the third landslide event in the Chimborazo canton in just two weeks. The military has deployed to clear roads and assist evacuations as the rainy season intensifies.
Quito was pounded by hail and electrical storms Wednesday afternoon, then blanketed by dense fog Thursday morning. Ecuador’s weather agency forecasts intensifying rainfall through March, raising mudslide risk in the capital’s surrounding valleys.
Manabí province’s two largest cities generated $20.5 million in tourism revenue during the four-day Carnival holiday, with Manta recording 90% hotel occupancy and the Mariana Fest alone drawing 60,000 people to El Murciélago beach.
Gunmen opened fire with more than 50 rounds at a group gathered in a northern Guayaquil park near a school late Wednesday night, killing four people aged 25 to 65 and wounding two others in the latest act of sicario violence in the city.
Indigenous leader Marlon Vargas calls President Noboa's urgent mining and energy reform a threat to water, territories, and collective rights. The National Assembly has until March 2 to vote on the bill, and CONAIE is calling for unity against it.
Since December 24, 2025, only the Rumichaca crossing (Colombia) and Huaquillas crossing (Peru) remain open for international land transit. All other border bridges are physically barricaded as part of the government's security strategy.
The International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts, and Tourism has awarded Ecuador's Manabí province the title of World Region of Gastronomy 2026 — the first in Latin America — recognizing its peanut-based culinary traditions, ceviches, and sustainable food culture.
The Ministry of Public Health invested in 92 laparoscopic towers for hospitals across the country, bringing minimally invasive surgery to previously underserved areas including the border town of Macará near Vilcabamba.
Reigning Miss Universe Fátima Bosch became faint on her float during the main parade at Ambato's 75th annual Fiesta de la Fruta y de las Flores on February 15. Whether caused by altitude sickness or exhaustion, the episode is a vivid reminder that Ecuador's highland elevations demand respect.
Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2026 features horseback riding among Ecuador's chagra cowboys near Volcán Cotopaxi as one of 25 must-do experiences worldwide. The recognition comes as tourism numbers approach pre-pandemic levels and Cuenca rents climb 20% in central neighborhoods.
A team of 30 chefs prepared approximately 9,500 servings of mote pata in the Plaza de San Francisco, earning Cuenca an official Guinness World Record and cementing the city's status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The record was the centerpiece of Cuenca's 'Carnaval de los 4 Ríos' celebrations.
INAMHI forecasts heavy rainfall with electrical storms across most of Ecuador through February 19, with three provinces on red alert and nine on orange. The highlands face afternoon thunderstorms, the coast faces flooding risks, and four highways remain closed from earlier weather damage.
