Quito water shutoff affects 500,000; Customs Service ‘clarifies’ reporting requirement; Reward offered for Assemblyman ‘rapist’; Landslides close local roads

Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz said Sunday that water service should be restored to a large area of the city within six days. A massive landslide July 9 destroyed two water mains that feed Quito’s La Mica Reservoir, shutting off water taps for almost 500,000 residents.

“This is a disaster of a magnitude we have not seen before,” Muñoz said in a video from the slide area. “Look around here and you can see the damage and the work required to restore service.”

South Quito residents wait in line for a water delivery on Saturday.

According to Muñoz, city crews are working around the clock to uncover and repair damaged waterpipes. “So far, we have removed 120,000 cubic meters of earth, but we need to remove another 1,800,000 meters to stabilize the area.”

Since the landslide, more than 20 water tanker trucks are circulating through southern Quito, delivering water to residents waiting in long lines. The parishes of Bellavista Alta, La Bretaña, Bellavista del Sur and Turubamba de Monjas are the most affected, Muñoz said.

Customs Service ‘clarifies’ reporting requirement
The National Customs Service of Ecuador (Senae) said Saturday that the new Customs Registration Form (FRA) will be required only for international travelers entering or leaving the country with more than $10,000 in cash, gold or precious stones. In its original statement last week, Senae said all travelers would be required to submit the form.

Senae also “clarified” that the form can be submitted in “physical format” as well as online.

The Customs Service said it regretted the confusion caused by its original press release. “That statement, unfortunately, was released prematurely and had not been authorized by management,” Senae said Saturday.

Award offered for Assemblyman in rape case
The government is offering a $100,000 reward for information regarding the whereabouts of Santiago Díaz, the Guayaquil National Assemblyman charged with the rape of a 12-year-old girl. The Interior Ministry said that police have been unable to locate Díaz since Friday and believe he may have left the country to avoid prosecution.

Díaz was dismissed from the Citizens Revolution party last week when the rape investigation was revealed. His request for leave without pay to defend himself was denied by Assembly leadership.

In a post Thursday on his X account that was later deleted, Díaz claimed he was the victim of a “dastardly judicial set-up”. He also said his case was the latest “act of lawfare” against followers of former president Rafael Correa. Díaz said he was a “close friend and associate” of Correa.

Rains trigger landslides, closes roads
The Transportation Ministry said Sunday night that three Azuay Province highways remained closed due to weekend landslides. They are Paute-Guarumales-Méndez near the Chicti-Seville intersection; Gualaceo-Limón at Ingamullo; and Jima-Moya.

Also on Sunday, the Cuenca Hydrometeorological Network reported that the Rio Machángara was near flood stage due to recent rain. It said the Rios Tomebamba, Yanuncay and Tarqui were maintaining normal flow levels.