CUENCA DIGESTIs Cuenca really Ecuador’s longevity capital?; San Francisco Plaza plans finalized and big thunderstorns

Although Vilcabamba and Loja Province have long been considered home to the longest-living Ecuadorians, the country’s real longevity capital may be Cuenca.

According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census, Cuenca has the highest percentage of residents 90 years of age or older of any city in Ecuador.

The institute reported that there are 656 men and 1078 women over the age of 90 in Cuenca, based on statistics from the 2010 census. The census counted a total of 559 Cuenca residents over the age of 100. In all, 0.34% of the city’s population was 90 or older.

By contrast, the canton containing Vilcababma reported 0.26 of its population over the age of 90.

The census institute report suggested that Cuenca’s good climate and cultural opportunities for the elderly were partly responsible for the high rate of longevity. It pointed out efforts by the city to involve the elderly in entertainment and educational activities, including the new University for the Elderly on Calle Simon Bolivar.

San Francisco Plaza project plans readied

The city of Cuenca plans to submit organizational plans for the San Francisco Plaza reconstruction project to the State Bank by August 30 so funds can be released.

According to Daniel Astudillo, director of Cuenca Historical Areas, his office will submit a construction management plan as well as details for relocating vendors currently located in the plaza. Once the plans have been submitted and the Cuenca city council and mayor have signed off, the bank will release $6,857,569 for work to begin.

The biggest challenge, says Austudillo, is finding temporary space for vendors. Preliminary plans call for relocating them on closed streets near the
plaza that will be unaffected by construction traffic, and at Otorongo
Plaza.

In addition, the ciy must finish plans to re-route traffic around the construction site. The project is expected to take two years.

Strong storms with hail roll through town

Heavy thunderstorms with hail caused temporary flooding in parts of the city Thursday afternoon.

According to the fire department, flooding in the historic district on Calles Sangurima and Mariano Cueva was caused by blocked street drains. Other areas reporting flooding were El Ejido near the football stadium and in Eucalipto.

According to meteorologists, the storms were the result of a large temperature differential during the day, which allowed a moisture build-up in the atmosphere. The morning low was a chilly 41 F while the afternoon high, under sunny skies, reached 78.