Catastrophic flooding in Ecuador: State of emergency declared on Santa Cruz Island (video)

Unprecedented severe flooding has occurred on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos archipelago, which belongs to Ecuador and is famous for its unique nature. As a result of the natural disaster, at least one person has died, two people are missing, and more than 80 residents have been urgently evacuated to safe areas.

Due to the extreme severity of the situation, local authorities have declared a state of emergency across the entire island.

"Such a disaster has never been observed in the island's history"

Santa Cruz Island Mayor Fanni Uribe, while making a statement about the situation, emphasized that such a destructive natural phenomenon had never been recorded in the region's history:

"This disaster has become the most difficult test in our island's history. In total, about 2,000 families have suffered severe damage. The Bellavista and Divino Nino areas have been very seriously damaged, many houses have been destroyed, and power grids have been cut off."

Scale of the disaster and important details

• 12 hours of incessant downpour and El Niño: The rainfall, which began during the day on October 30, fell as a heavy downpour for 12 consecutive hours. Experts attribute this anomalous situation to the intensifying El Niño climate phenomenon;

• Infrastructure paralyzed: Road traffic is severely restricted as the main connecting roads on the island remain underwater. The floods have also damaged medical centers;

• Airport operations restricted: The main airport on the neighboring Baltra Island has stopped accepting commercial passenger flights and is only servicing aircraft carrying humanitarian aid and rescue supplies;

• Tourism centers closed: The Galapagos National Park administration has temporarily closed 4 popular tourist sites in Santa Cruz and 2 in San Cristobal to ensure the safety of tourists.

Rescue operation and temporary shelters

Currently, military units and rescue squads have been deployed to the disaster area, and search and rescue operations are underway. Special temporary centers have been established for families left homeless, and medical and food assistance is being provided to the population.