Cuenca Under Orange Alert as Heavy Rains Continue - What You Need to Know

Ecuador's National Risk Management Secretariat (SNGR) has issued orange and yellow alerts across 23 of the country's 24 provinces as the rainy season intensifies. Azuay province, including Cuenca, is under Orange Alert.

Orange Alert Provinces (12 total)

• Azuay (includes Cuenca)
• Pichincha (includes Quito)
• Cotopaxi
• Chimborazo
• Bolívar
• Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas
• Guayas
• El Oro
• Esmeraldas
• Zamora Chinchipe
• Napo
• Orellana

Yellow Alert Provinces (11 total)

Loja, Cañar, Tungurahua, Imbabura, Carchi, Manabí, Los Ríos, Santa Elena, Morona Santiago, Pastaza, Sucumbíos

The Damage So Far (Since January 1)

Since the start of 2026, Ecuador has recorded 336 weather-related emergencies affecting 103 cantons and 209 parishes:

• 2 deaths, 6 injured
• 325 people displaced
• 204 homes damaged
• 5.99 km of roads damaged
• 5 bridges destroyed, 3 damaged

The most common events: landslides (47%), floods (28%), and intense rainfall (7%).

What's Causing It

INAMHI (the meteorological agency) attributes the intensity to the active phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation, moisture flowing from the Amazon basin, and favorable wind patterns increasing atmospheric instability.

What Cuenca Expats Should Do

1. Be aware of landslide risk in hillside areas like Turi, El Valle, and rural parishes
2. Avoid rivers and streams during and after heavy rain - flash flooding is common
3. Check road conditions before traveling, especially mountain routes to Guayaquil or Loja
4. Follow @inamhi_ec on Twitter/X for real-time weather updates
5. Emergency number: 911

The alerts remain in effect under Resolution SNGR-022-2026 until conditions improve.

Sources: El Universo, Metro Ecuador, SNGR