Torrential rainfall triggers deadly landslide, flooding in Ecuador
By
Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Feb 1, 2022 12:41 PM EDT
|
Updated Feb 3, 2022 8:38 AM EDT
Torrential rain led to severe floods and a landslide that killed at least 11 people in Quito on Jan. 31.
A round of highly localized torrential rainfall triggered a deadly landslide in Ecuador’s capital city of Quito Monday and left parts of the region buried in mud.
At least 24 deaths and 48 injuries were attributed to the massive landslide, according to the Reuters. Twelve people remain missing.
The deluge worked to loosen a portion of the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, located just west of the city. The landslide, carrying a combination of mud and debris, quickly rushed downhill and overwhelmed the population of the La Gasca neighborhood below.
In addition to the mud and debris, torrential rainfall persisted and sent water surging down streets, sweeping away residents, leaving vehicles trapped and homes flooded.
Emergency crews worked quickly to transport the injured as other crews cleared safe paths to keep people out of harm's way. In many spots throughout the impacted neighborhood, streets became unrecognizable under a thick layer of mud.
The National Police of Ecuador dispatched both a special operations group and an intervention and rescue group to assist with recovery efforts, according to Al Jazeera.
Quito, home to over 2 million people, is located in the northern portion of Ecuador and is no stranger to frequent rainfall.
The overall weather pattern has been largely typical for Ecuador at this time of the year with daily showers and thunderstorms a common occurrence, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls.
On Monday, a few of these "typical" showers and thunderstorms transformed into an all-out deluge.
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Many different rainfall observations were recorded across the city Monday, but the heaviest rainfall ultimately occurred in the western portion, according to Nicholls. Elevations climb dramatically just west of Quito, with the Pichincha volcano and many other high peaks located nearby.
Local authorities said that up to 3 inches (75 mm) of rain fell in the La Gasca neighborhood of Quito in just a few hours, according to Al Jazeera.
Quito Mayor Santiago Guarderas said Monday's rainfall was "a record figure" not seen since 2003.
Just over 11 inches (280 mm) of rain was recorded for the entire month of January at Quito's Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport. The airport, located on the east side of the city, missed out on the heaviest rainfall from Monday's event.
Since October, around 2,800 people have been affected by heavy rain in Ecuador, with hundreds left homeless.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Severe Weather
Torrential rainfall triggers deadly landslide, flooding in Ecuador
By Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Feb 1, 2022 12:41 PM EDT | Updated Feb 3, 2022 8:38 AM EDT
Torrential rain led to severe floods and a landslide that killed at least 11 people in Quito on Jan. 31.
A round of highly localized torrential rainfall triggered a deadly landslide in Ecuador’s capital city of Quito Monday and left parts of the region buried in mud.
At least 24 deaths and 48 injuries were attributed to the massive landslide, according to the Reuters. Twelve people remain missing.
The deluge worked to loosen a portion of the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, located just west of the city. The landslide, carrying a combination of mud and debris, quickly rushed downhill and overwhelmed the population of the La Gasca neighborhood below.
In addition to the mud and debris, torrential rainfall persisted and sent water surging down streets, sweeping away residents, leaving vehicles trapped and homes flooded.
Emergency crews worked quickly to transport the injured as other crews cleared safe paths to keep people out of harm's way. In many spots throughout the impacted neighborhood, streets became unrecognizable under a thick layer of mud.
The National Police of Ecuador dispatched both a special operations group and an intervention and rescue group to assist with recovery efforts, according to Al Jazeera.
Quito, home to over 2 million people, is located in the northern portion of Ecuador and is no stranger to frequent rainfall.
The overall weather pattern has been largely typical for Ecuador at this time of the year with daily showers and thunderstorms a common occurrence, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls.
On Monday, a few of these "typical" showers and thunderstorms transformed into an all-out deluge.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Many different rainfall observations were recorded across the city Monday, but the heaviest rainfall ultimately occurred in the western portion, according to Nicholls. Elevations climb dramatically just west of Quito, with the Pichincha volcano and many other high peaks located nearby.
Local authorities said that up to 3 inches (75 mm) of rain fell in the La Gasca neighborhood of Quito in just a few hours, according to Al Jazeera.
Quito Mayor Santiago Guarderas said Monday's rainfall was "a record figure" not seen since 2003.
Just over 11 inches (280 mm) of rain was recorded for the entire month of January at Quito's Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport. The airport, located on the east side of the city, missed out on the heaviest rainfall from Monday's event.
Since October, around 2,800 people have been affected by heavy rain in Ecuador, with hundreds left homeless.
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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