El Niño rains hit Ecuador: 17,000+ affected across 8 provinces

Heavy rainfall linked to an active El Niño has affected over 17,000 people in Ecuador, with the hardest-hit provinces being Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Bolívar, Orellana, Imbabura, and Pichincha. The red alert remains active, and the situation is developing as rainfall continues. This underscores the regional humanitarian and infrastructure strain from El Niño, with potential economic impacts on agriculture and transport.