Ecuador seeks additional funding for 28,000 families hit by flooding, UN says

With the support of the United Nations, Ecuador is seeking additional international support for relief and recovery efforts for 28,000 families in the wake of the flooding and landslides caused by the heavy rains that have soaked the country since early February.

As the precipitation continues, hundreds of families have been evacuated to temporary shelters or the homes of relatives in the coastal province of Los Ríos alone, and thousands of families will require three months’ worth of food assistance because agriculture will not be able to resume until the waters subside, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

OCHA has already provided an emergency cash grant totalling $80,000 and the World Food Programme (WFP) has provided funds for the purchase of food.

In addition, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided more than 150,000 oral re-hydration salts for distribution in affected areas, while the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) is working with the Government to provide clean drinking water in shelters and support health centres.

However, OCHA said the quantity of food in the pipeline from all sources will be insufficient to cover the needs of affected families for the three-month period. The Government is seeking food aid, household supplies, agricultural tools, clothing, mattresses and cash to support relief and recovery activities.

The authorities also need technical and financial assistance for the protection of mangroves and the reforestation of upstream river basins to provide protection during next winter’s rainy season.