Ecuador Floods & Landslides

Overview

After months of unusually heavy rainfall during Ecuador's 2026 wet season, the government declared a national emergency on March 13 as floods, landslides, and a major Amazonian oil spill compounded the humanitarian crisis. By April 15, Ecuador's National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR) had recorded 2,308 weather-related adverse events across all 24 provinces — including 877 floods and 825 landslides — affecting 196 cantons and 698 parishes. At least 15 people had been killed and more than 110,875 others affected, with widespread damage to homes, bridges, and transport infrastructure. Coastal and western provinces such as Esmeraldas, Pichincha, and Los Ríos remained on red alert as soils saturated from prolonged rainfall increased the likelihood of additional river overflows and landslides. The Ecuadorian Red Cross is providing shelter, medical aid, safe water, and cash assistance to affected communities, and on March 20 the IFRC launched a 4 million CHF emergency appeal to scale up the response. Ecuador's National Institute of Meteorology (INAMHI) forecast continued heavy rainfall and warned of further flash floods and mudslides in the coming days.