Heavy rains cause flooding and temporarily refill city rivers but much more is needed

A powerful thunderstorm flooded city streets, refilled Cuenca’s rivers and covered much of the city in hail Tuesday afternoon. According to the ETAPA meteorology office, it was the heaviest rain in more than eight months, with 32 millimeters (1.25 inches) reported at a weather station in the historic district.

Hail covered the streets in Cuenca’s historic district Tuesday afternoon.

Police and fire department rescue crews responded to dozens of emergency calls from stranded motorists and residents of flooded homes. Several major thoroughfares, including Paseo de los Cañaris, Diez de Agosto, 24 de Mayo, Roberto Crespo Toral and Max Uhle, were temporarily closed due to high water.

The hail that accompanied the storm turned some areas of the city white, accumulating to a depth of several millimeters around the Pumapungo Museum and in San Blas Plaza.

Tuesday’s rain flooded a parking lot at a Cuenca hospital.

The rain also temporarily refilled Cuenca’s four rivers although water levels began to fall within two hours after the storm.

According to ETAPA weatherman Rigoberto Guerrero, the storm was fueled by high temperatures, which reached 28 degree (82F) early Tuesday afternoon. “The rising heat and high humidity combined to make this a very powerful storm centered over the city,” he said. “On the other hand, it was very localized and did not reach the Cajas mountains.”

Guerrero emphasized that the rain did not end the drought. “We need 10 more like this but they need to cover a much wider area.”

Oscar Coronel of the Cuenca National Meteorological Institute office agreed, explaining that the Cajas mountains watershed remains historically dry. “The watershed acts like a giant sponge, collecting and holding water and redistributing it during dry periods. We desperately need a recharge of this area and today’s storm did not do that.”

Coronel added: ‘Of course we are very thankful for the rain that fell in the city. It is badly needed. It also provides more water downstream to the Mazar reservoir.”