Ecuador’s third largest city, Cuenca, recorded the heaviest rainfall in 70 years, the city’s mayor said on May 7, Cuenca High Life reports.
Heavy equipment cleared the Cuenca-Moleturo-Naranjal highway and rescuers freed at least 40 people trapped between landslides. The highway, which is the main route between Cuenca and Guayaquil, remained closed to traffic while work to clear rocks and mud continued in at least four locations.
“We hope to open one lane on Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday.said the mayor of Cuenca, Christian Zamora. — “The main problem is that debris continues to roll down the mountain, slowing recovery and threatening workers.”.
Zamora pointed out that the worst congestion occurs 18 kilometers from Cuenca, where the highway enters the Sierra del Cajas.
Zamora added that Saturday’s storm caused the heaviest rains in the Cuenca area in 70 years. “The Metrology Institute informs us that on Saturday afternoon 8.4 million cubic meters of water fell in our area of the province of Azuay in five hours. This goes far beyond the capabilities of our infrastructure. “Of course, this is good news for the hydroelectric plant, but it is terrible news for the people stranded in the mountains and for those in Sayausi whose homes were damaged.”said the mayor.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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