Heavy rains leave 1 dead, 2 missing on Ecuador's Santa Cruz Island

Heavy rainfall has left one person dead, two missing and around 80 evacuated on Ecuador's Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos archipelago, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency, according to a report by the Ecuavisa media outlet. The death and disappearances were reported in the Bellavista and Divino Nino sectors, respectively, according to the emergency report. Heavy rainfall caused flooding in several areas, including Bellavista and Santa Rosa in the island's central highlands, and Miramar, Aguacatal and La Cascada in the coastal area.

A house collapsed in Miramar, and power lines were damaged. Authorities evacuated around 80 people to the Santa Cruz Sports Coliseum, which was converted into a temporary shelter. The airport on Baltra Island suspended commercial operations but remained available for emergency flights and humanitarian aid transport. Road disruptions were also reported, particularly along the route connecting Puerto Ayora and Bellavista. Authorities urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

The Government Council of Galapagos said it deployed heavy machinery and trucks to support evacuation and assistance efforts in coordination with the Cantonal Emergency Operations Committee. Carolina Lozano, the secretary for risk management, said authorities carried out evacuation and rescue operations and established two temporary shelters with a combined capacity of 500 people, according to a post published on US social media platform X. Lozano said the government was assessing the needs of affected families and preparing to send 1,000 humanitarian assistance kits to the island.

The National Emergency Operations Committee deployed 13 health professionals, who provided more than 55 medical consultations and transferred three patients to a hospital. The Santa Cruz Health Center remained out of service due to flooding, Ecuavisa reported. Authorities continued coordinating rescue, evacuation and humanitarian assistance operations as damage assessments continued.