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Landslide kills 6 in Ecuador, 30 missing

AT least six people have died and 19 injured, while 30 others are reportedly missing after a landslide triggered by heavy rains swept through Ecuador’s central region on Sunday, June 16.

The landslide occurred on a highway near the popular tourist town of Baños, burying three cars, two houses, and a bus under debris and mud.

Rescue efforts have been on but difficult due to continued rainfall and overflowing rivers, which have caused widespread flooding and damage to roads and streets.

The country’s minister of public works, Roberto Luque, via an X post, said emergency protocols and reinforced response teams had been activated to address the crisis while consoling the affected families.

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“We are attending to the emergencies that occurred in Baños de Agua Santa early on and reinforcing the MTOP contingent with local governments. My solidarity with all the families who have been affected,” he said.

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He added that “the national government is in Baños to verify with the local authorities all the affected points and make decisions to solve the emergencies that have been registered not only here, but in the other cantons of the province”.



The mayor of Baños, Miguel Guevara, also warned residents to avoid dangerous roads and announced that authorities were working ‘expeditiously’ to clear the northern coastal area, search for additional victims and restore safety to the region.

The resort town of Baños, known for its access to the Amazon jungle and volcanic attractions, has been severely impacted, with officials urging residents to avoid dangerous roads and stay safe.




     

     

    Emergency workers in the country had said that several landslides had blocked or damaged the streets, posing a severe challenge to the rescue operations as rains continued to flood the nation.

    The heavy downpours have affected neighbouring regions, including El Salvador, which experienced a fatal landslide earlier last week. Ecuador’s national government has pledged support to affected areas and is working to resolve the crisis.

    The ICIR reported several cases of flood resulting from heavy rains this year in some African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, among others, leading to scores of deaths.

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