Ecuador Rains Affect 17,056 People Since 29 August

ECUADOR · WEATHER

Six weeks of El Niño rains have now affected more than 17,000 people across Ecuador. More storms are forecast for the coast and the Andes until Wednesday.

Ecuador rains have affected 17,056 people since 29 August, the national risk agency reported on Sunday, 11 October. Ecuador uses the US dollar and is the world’s largest banana exporter, so its weather matters to US importers and shoppers.

The agency, the Secretaría Nacional de Gestión de Riesgos (SNGR), issued its 30th situation report at 5:46 p.m. local time. It counted 330 adverse events in 22 of Ecuador’s 24 provinces, with Esmeraldas on the Pacific coast hit hardest.

What the Risk Agency Reported

Floods made up 181 of the 330 events, or 54.85%, according to the report. Landslides accounted for 68 events and windstorms for 24, across 100 cantons and 200 parishes.

The agency classed 1,354 people as damnificados, its term for people whose homes or livelihoods suffered severe losses. In all, 18,410 people were touched by the rains in some way, the report said.

One person has died since the alert began, swept away by the current of the Calichana river on 26 September. The report lists that death under El Oro province, on the southern border with Peru.

The rains damaged 4,862 homes and destroyed 16, the agency said. Eighteen schools had their classes disrupted, two health centres were hit and one bridge was destroyed.

The Club de la Unión building on the Malecón in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s main port city, pictured on a dry day (file photo). Photo: Arabsalam / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Esmeraldas Bears the Brunt

Esmeraldas, a coastal province bordering Colombia, accounts for 12,484 of the people affected and 3,714 of the damaged homes. The Esmeraldas river burst its banks on 29 September, flooding three river islands in the provincial capital.

A provincial state of emergency runs from 7 October to 7 December, according to the report. A school in the province has served as a temporary shelter since 3 October.

Guayas, the province around the port city of Guayaquil, follows with 2,168 people affected. Los Ríos has 1,532 and Manabí 231, the agency said.

On Sunday afternoon, residents reported heavy downpours in northern Guayaquil, including Alborada, Sauces and Kennedy, Primicias reported. By 5 p.m., the municipal agency Segura EP had logged rain incidents in eight sectors but no floods.

More Storms Forecast Until Wednesday

The national weather service, Inamhi, issued a warning valid from Sunday afternoon until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 14 October, Expreso reported. The Guayaquil daily said Inamhi rated the threat medium to very high, with the heaviest rain expected through Tuesday.

Erfen, the national committee that studies El Niño, says the phenomenon remains active and is strengthening, El Universo reported. The newspaper said rain above normal levels is likely on the coast in October.

What It Means for You

For US importers, the report lists 1,304 hectares (about 3,200 acres) of crops affected and 332 hectares lost. It does not say which crops, and nothing in it points to a disruption of banana or shrimp shipments so far.

For US travellers, landslides have closed roads in the Andes and storms can delay transfers on the coast. Visitors should follow SNGR and US Embassy Quito alerts and allow extra time for road travel this week.

What Is Not Known

The report does not say how many people remain in shelters or how much the damage will cost. It also gives no figure for injured or missing people.

Figures are moving quickly, and Expreso cited a later agency tally of 336 events and 1,306 damnificados at 10 p.m. on Sunday. The agency itself says its numbers may change as field teams collect more data.

What Comes Next

The agency publishes new situation reports as the rains continue, and the Inamhi warning runs until Wednesday. The red alert has no end date, and the Esmeraldas emergency lasts until 7 December.

The red alert is a preparedness level, not a national state of emergency. On Sunday, 148 of Ecuador’s 223 cantonal emergency committees were active, the report said.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people have Ecuador’s rains affected?

The national risk agency counted 17,056 people affected between 29 August and Sunday, 11 October. It classed 1,354 of them as having suffered severe losses.

Which part of Ecuador is hit hardest?

Esmeraldas province on the northern Pacific coast is hit hardest, with 12,484 people affected. It has been under a provincial state of emergency since 7 October.

Will the rains affect bananas and shrimp sold in the US?

The report lists about 1,636 hectares of crops affected or lost, without naming the crops. It does not point to any disruption of exports so far.

Is it safe to travel to Ecuador this week?

There is no national travel restriction, but storms are forecast until Wednesday, 14 October. Travellers should follow local alerts and allow extra time on roads.

Sources: SNGR Situation Report No. 30; SNGR red alert rain reports; Expreso; El Universo; Primicias; Expreso (Cuenca road closure) (all accessed 12 October 2026).