BAt least 24 people have died in the Ecuadorian capital Quito in the worst floods in two decades. Twelve people were still missing and 48 were injured, the authorities said on Tuesday evening. According to Mayor Santiago Guarderas, 75 liters of rain per square meter fell on Monday alone. A powerful tidal wave hit, among other things, a sports field in the middle of a volleyball training session.
Flooding began Monday on the slopes of Pichincha volcano, which towers over Ecuador’s capital. Footage from local media showed the muddy floodwaters reaching Quito’s streets as rescuers help residents get to safety. Cars were engulfed in debris and mud, houses were flooded. The power supply also collapsed.
Tidal wave tore volleyball team with it
According to Mayor Guarderas, the torrential rain caused a catch basin on the slope of the volcano to overflow. According to the mayor, the pool had previously held almost four times the usual amount of water. A tidal wave, one kilometer long, then swept over a sports field where volleyball players were training right in front of spectators. It was initially unclear how many of them were among the victims.
According to Guarderas, it hadn’t rained as much as it did on Monday since 2003. Soldiers were mobilized to help rescue workers with the cleanup and recovery work. Authorities on Tuesday did not rule out that more bodies could be found under the mud and rubble while military personnel with dogs continued the search for survivors.
Unusually rainy months
Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He tweeted that authorities would continue their search and rescue efforts and clean-up efforts. Injured would be cared for in health centers and psychologically cared for.
Heavy rains have hit 22 of the South American country’s 24 provinces since October. According to civil protection, at least 18 people were killed and 24 others injured by Sunday. Scientists have long warned that climate change is increasing the risk of heavy rainfall worldwide.
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