QUITO – At least one person was killed and three injured after the flash flood triggered by heavy rains swept through Pinas in Ecuador’s coastal province of El Oro on Friday night, officials said Saturday.
The National Risk and Emergency Management Service (SNGRE) said the flood affected three areas of Pinas, forcing 400 people to evacuate to a temporary shelter. At least 10 homes were destroyed, 60 damaged, and several businesses impacted.
Meanwhile, flooding from the San Roque River inundated streets and homes in Pinas, compounding the devastation.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa ordered the immediate deployment of government agencies to assist with relief efforts in El Oro, one of eight provinces under a state of emergency due to torrential rains.
Firefighters continued evacuations Saturday as emergency crews assessed the damage and mobilized aid.
Since January, Ecuador has recorded more than 1,000 rain-related disasters affecting nearly all of its 24 provinces, the SNGRE said.
XINHUA
