Ecuador floods hit 3,500,000 people

Electricity cables destroyed by the devastating floods in Ecuador

6 March 2008: Plan is providing emergency relief to communities hit by devastating floods that have swept across more than half of Ecuador.

3,500,000 people living in the coastal and highland areas of the country have been affected, forcing the government to declare a national emergency.

More than 300,000 people have been evacuated to safer ground.  19 deaths have been reported.

The damage is comparable to that of El Nino 10 years ago, which devastated much of the country. Weeks of intense rain have caused rivers to overflow and numerous landslides, which have destroyed roads and isolated communities.

Disease threat

A boy wading through flood water in Ecuador

7 out of the 11 provinces where Plan works have been directly affected - in particular Manabi, Guayas and Los Rios.

Diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea and skin complaints now threaten to spread through communities. Food is also becoming scarce in some areas, causing migration to towns and cities.

Plan action

Plan is coordinating its relief work with local and national organisations, bringing technical and financial support, particularly to coastal areas.

Plan’s emergency response includes providing:

• safe drinking water and food at shelters and to affected communities
• medicines for health centres and mobile brigades
• treated mosquito nets
• hygiene kits to prevent disease.

Make a donation

Please help us to assist those affected by making a donation via Plan Canada

According to weather forecasts, rains and electric storms are expected to continue through April.