After months of unusually heavy rainfall during Ecuador's 2026 wet season, floods and landslides have spread across every province, killing at least 15 people and affecting more than 110,875 residents as of April 15. The Ecuadorian government declared a national emergency on March 13, and the Ecuador Floods & Landslides disaster page is now tracking the international relief response.
Nationwide Devastation
Ecuador's National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR) has logged 2,308 weather-related adverse events across all 24 provinces — including 877 floods and 825 landslides — affecting 196 cantons and 698 parishes. More than 28,000 homes have been damaged, alongside widespread destruction of bridges and roads. Coastal and western provinces such as Esmeraldas, Pichincha, and Los Ríos remain on red alert as soils saturated by months of rainfall raise the risk of further river overflows and slope failures. Ecuador's National Institute of Meteorology (INAMHI) has forecast continued heavy rain in the days ahead.
The crisis was further compounded on March 13 when a major oil spill in the Amazon contaminated rivers used by Indigenous communities for drinking water and food, deepening an already complex humanitarian emergency.
Organizations Responding
The American Red Cross is coordinating with the Ecuadorian Red Cross, which is providing shelter, medical aid, safe water, and cash assistance to flood-affected communities. The IFRC launched a 4 million CHF emergency appeal on March 20 to scale up the response across the most-affected provinces.
Direct Relief is working with Ecuadorian health partners to deliver emergency medical supplies, water purification tablets, and essential medications to clinics serving displaced families.
CARE is mobilizing its Latin America teams to support water, sanitation, and hygiene programs and to provide cash assistance to women and families displaced by the flooding.
Save the Children is preparing child-focused relief, including emergency education kits, safe spaces for displaced children, and psychosocial support for families uprooted from their homes.
How to Help
The most effective way to support flood survivors in Ecuador is through monetary donations to established relief organizations. Cash donations let responders purchase water, food, and medical supplies locally — supporting the regional economy while delivering aid where it is needed most.
Visit the Ecuador Floods & Landslides disaster page for a continuously updated list of responding organizations and direct donation links, or browse the full organization directory to learn more about vetted groups responding to disasters worldwide.
