City issues river warning as more rain expected; Loja landslide threatens homes; Bids opened for autopista bypass projects; Councilor objects to concert cost

Cuenca’s Citizens Guard restricted access to the Yanuncay River Monday night as the river overflowed its banks in several locations. “We are advising residents to stay away from all riverbanks due to the possibility of collapse resulting from high flow rates,” a Guard captain told Radio Tomembamba. “We are currently conducting searches along the rivers and have evacuated several homeless persons who were lodging under bridges.”

Early Tuesday, the Rio Yanuncay remained at flood stage while the Rios Tomebamba and Machángara were at pre-alert stage.

The new overpass at the IESS Hospital will keep through-traffic moving on the autopista while allowing local traffic to flow smoothly. (El Mercurio)

In other weather-related news, the Transportation Ministry reported Tuesday morning that the Cuenca-Molleturo-Guayaquil and the Cuenca-Giron-Machala highways were partially reopened following overnight closures due to mud- and rock-slides.

In Loja Province, a large landslide threatens dozens of homes near the E-35 and E-50 highway interchange near Olmedo. According to the Loja Prefect’s office, residents of the Jesús del Gran Poder neighborhood may be evacuated due the threat of a second landslide.

On Monday, ETAPA meteorologist Rigoberto Guerrero warned that more rain is expected throughout the week and predicted that Cuenca’s upcoming “rainy season” will be wetter than usual. “All indications are that March and April will see above normal rainfall,” he said. “This is in contrast to last year, when we received below-normal rainfall, which was a factor in the drought and electric blackouts we experienced later in the year.”

Bid process opened for autopista bypass projects
The Transportation Ministry announced Monday that bidding is open for four bypass projects on the Cuenca- Azogues autopista, including at the IESS hospital-Monay interchange. In October, the ministry said that traffic was too heavy at the hospital to be adequately accommodated by the current redondel.

According to the ministry, the $36 million IESS-autopista project will include a 300-metre-long overpass above the current redondel as well as an underground passage for Calle Cuzco, connecting to the autopista. The ministry said the project will be similar that at Av. Las Americas and Gran Colombia.

“The intention of the project is to allow through-traffic on the autopista to continue without stoppage while improving the flow of local IESS-Monay traffic,” the ministry said.

Bids are also being accepted for two bypasses in Azogues and at the El Vergel redondel.

Cuenca councilor objects to concert cost
Cuenca municipal Councilor Xavier Bermudez is criticizing plans to pay two bands $320,000 for a Carnival concert Saturday March 1. “I have nothing against concerts – in fact, I attend a lot of them — but spending $320,000 on a single event seems like a poor use of public funds to me,” he said.

In two social media posts, Bermudez said the money the city will pay Ivy Queen and La Factoría would be better spent improving outlying neighborhoods. “La Calera Alta and the Orchids still have no sewers or parks and most of the streets are unpaved,” he said. “Let’s go ahead with the concert but let’s hire local talent and apply the savings to city improvements.”