Heavy rains cause damage, fill rivers

Heavy rain Friday night and early Saturday morning caused extenstive flooding damage in the Bellavista and Sayausí neighborhoods of Cuenca.

In Bellavista, several retaining walls collapsed causing flooding in at least 20 homes. In Sayausí there was flooding of a number of household gardens as well as in the interiors of several homes.

The city public works office said that dozens of drains were clogged by debris around town, causing temporary street flooding, especially on the north and west sides of the city. The Yanuncay and Tomebamba Rivers were near flood stage in several areas, particularly around Tres Puentes and the Jefferson Perez Coliseum.

The national meteorology office said that it expected seasonal rains to continue in Cuenca and the southern Andean region of Ecuador through April. April is Cuenca’s wettest month, with average rainfall of more than three inches.