Following historic floods, Cuenca officials face massive clean-up, worry that more rain is coming

Cuenca Mayor Cristian Zamora is requesting assistance from the armed forces to help with clean-up operations following what he describes as “floods of historic proportions.” As a result of heavy rain early Thursday, flooding was reported in numerous locations of the city, the most severe along the Rios Yanuncay and Tarqui in the southern part of the city.

Streets that seldom experience flooding, like Av. Solano, were blocked off Thursday due to high water. (El Mercurio)

“We need help and we need it immediately,” Zamora said as he surveyed flood damage Thursday afternoon. “We have a massive job ahead of us to clear debris and repair damage and we must also assist residents trapped in their homes and residents who have lost their homes,” he said.

In his request to General Edison Rueda Vásquez, commander of the III Army Division, he said soldiers are needed not only for clean-up, but to provide security and to assist with evacuations.

In addition to flooding within Cuenca, landslides and flooding are blocking travel on all major highways in and out of the city. As of late Thursday night, the Cuenca-Giron-Machala highway, the Cuenca-Molleturo-Guayaquil highway and the Cuenca-Azogues highway were impassable.

The three major highways in and of Cuenca were blocked by mud- and rockslides and flooding. (Radio Tomebamba)

Zamora said damage assessments would begin Friday but said that supporting those affected by the floods is the top priority.

Directing vehicular traffic around flood zones is another priority. “Obviously, there is chaos on the streets tonight since so many roadways are flooded,” he said. “We have hundreds of employees on the streets but there are traffic jams everywhere.” He urged motorists to stay off the streets, if possible, until flooding subsides and streets are cleared.

Serious damage was reported in a number of locations, including at the linear park on the Rio Yanuncay, the Febres Cordero Millenium School, the botanical gardens, the University of Azuay and the Tres Puentes sector.

At least five bridges on the Rios Yanuncay and Tomebamba were destroyed, mostly on the west side of the city.

Bridges and roadways were destroyed in several locations along the Rio Yanuncay on Thursday. (El Mercurio)

A major concern for officials is the weather, since more rain is forecast. “The atmosphere is saturated with moisture and more rain is expected,” said ETAPA meteorologist Rigoberto Guerrero. “With rivers at flood stage and standing water in many areas, there is no room for more water,” he said. At this point we are praying that additional rain is not heavy.”

According to Guerrero, the flooding was triggered by heavy rain early Thursday. “The rivers were already full and the ground was saturated, so the additional water had nowhere to go but over the riverbanks and into low-lying areas,” he said. Weather stations recorded rainfall amounts of more than 40 millimeters in most locations in Cuenca and Guerrero said totals were higher in the Cajas Mountains, west of the city, where the Rios Yanuncay and Tomebamba originate.