Ecuador declares national emergency over severe rainy season

Ecuador on Friday declared a 60-day national emergency to address an intense rainy season that has left 11 dead and thousands affected. The prolonged rainfall and thunderstorms had caused rivers to overflow and landslides, primarily in the coastal and Andean provinces.

The Secretary of Risk Management Agency indicated that "a technical analysis shows an escalation of the rains," which are affecting all 24 provinces of Ecuador. It was learned that the death toll rose from 8 to 11 between Wednesday and Thursday, according to the agency. The rains had also left, 24 injured, 82 houses destroyed, and more than 124,000 farm animals dead since January.