Two more Turkish power barges are on the way; Rain floods parts of Cuenca, more is expected; ‘Junk food’ leads to malnutrition; Crime emergency is exended

The government on Tuesday awarded contracts for two thermal power generation barges to the Turkish company Karpowership. They will join another Karpowership barge already operating near Guayaquil. According to Energy Minister Inés Manzano, one of the two barges is docked in Panama and will arrive in Guayaquil next week.

Like the barge already in operation, the new barges will generate 100 to 110 megawatts of electricity each.

A Cuenca utility crew clears a clogged storm drain on the Cuenca-Azogues autopista following heavy rain Tuesday afternoon.

In her announcement of the new barges during an interview, Manzano said their addition is part of the government’s plan to end blackouts in December. Last week, the minister revised President Daniel Noboa’s claim that blackouts would end December 1, saying only that they will end sometime in December.

When the Teleamazonas reporter asked if blackouts will end before Christmas and New Year’s festivities, Manzano responded: “I certainly hope so.”

Storm floods parts of Cuenca and more rain is expected
A Tuesday afternoon rainstorm flooded several streets and caused the partial collapse of a building under construction on Cuenca’s south side. Traffic was briefly stopped as city workers cleared clogged storm drains on the Cuenca-Azogues autopista.

Cuenca meteorologist Juan Merchan said the storm was “localized” around the city, the result of a heat island effect. “We expected widespread rain in the Amazon and intermountain regions, but this did not develop,” he said. “Cuenca was the exception today, but we expect generalized rain Wednesday and Thursday.”

At 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, national meteorology institute (Inamhi) weather radar showed moderate rain falling over the central and northern intermountain valley and Amazon region of the country. Engineers at the Coca Coda Sinclair hydroelectric plant in Napo Province reported that rain begin falling in the area after midnight Wednesday.

Inamhi predicts a high probability of rain through Sunday.

Crime emergency renewed for 30 days
President Daniel Noboa renewed the state of emergency in six provinces and two cantons for 30 days. The provinces under the emergency declaration are Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Orellana, Santa Elena and El Oro. The cantons are Quito and Camilo Ponce Enríquez in Azuay Province.

The new order incorporates changes to earlier emergency declarations ordered by the Constitutional Court, including guarantees of freedom of expression and the allowance of small public gatherings.

‘Junk food’ is a major cause of child malnutrition
The Council for the Prevention of Child Malnutrition reports that 19% of children under two years old and 17.5% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition in Ecuador.

In addition to reporting numbers of those affected, the report makes suggestions for improving the government and public response to child malnutrition.

Council researcher Jairo Rivera said Chimborazo Province has the highest level of child malnutrition in the country, followed by Santa Elena, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Bolívar and Imbabura.

According to council member Roberto Maya, much of child malnutrition in Ecuador is not associated with hunger and extreme poverty. “We found, unfortunately, that parents are providing non-nutritious food to children,” he said. “They are providing ultra-processed and packaged products because these are easier than preparing healthy meals. They are giving the kids junk food. Our biggest challenge is to educate the parents.”