Torrential rains overflow rivers, trigger landslides and disrupt drinking water service in Cuenca

What is being described as “historically intense” rainfall Saturday afternoon sent rivers over their banks and triggered landsides in Cuenca and northern Azuay Province. Sunday morning, a third of Cuenca households lost drinking water service as a result of flooding at El Cebollar water plant in the Cajas Mountains.

Emergency workers were at the scene of a mudslide Saturday night at Sayausí on the Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal highway.

The Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal highway was blocked in at least four locations by mudslides with most other highways leading into the city reporting temporary closures and long traffic delays.

According to Cuenca utility ETAPA, flooding on the Rio Tomebamba was reported in at least eight locations while Rios Yancuany and Tarqui also reported overflows. ETAPA said that storm drains that empty into the rivers were underwater, causing flooding in downtown neighborhoods, blocks from the rivers.

According to the national meteorological institute, rainfall amounted to more than 100 millimeters (4 inches) per hour at three Cuenca auxiliary weather stations Saturday afternoon. “The rate of precipitation is unprecedented and, for periods of time, was historically intense,” the institute said in a bulletin.

Among the sectors with flood damage are Tres de Noviembre and 12 de Abril at the University of Cuenca campus, the Jefferson Pérez Coliseum sector, and Virgen de Milagro

As of Sunday night, ETAPA reports that El Cebollar water plant, the city’s largest, remains closed due to flooding contamination. The plant supplies 35% of Cuenca homes with drinking water. ETAPA said four other water plants were unaffected and operating normally.

At least 200 cars are reported stranded between landslides on the Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal highway and emergency personnel are carrying out rescue operations where possible. Overnight Saturday, at least a hundred people were reported sheltering at Hostel Dos Chorreras in the Cajas Mountains after floods cut the roadway at Marianza, west of Cuenca.

If there are new landslides, Cuenca area Risk Management director Froilán Salinas says it will be at least Tuesday before the highway is cleared for traffic. For motorists traveling to Guayaquil or the south coast, he recommends the alternate route of Zhud-Cochancay-Puerto Inca.

The weather institute is predicting more rain for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.