Ecuador among the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters

Quito, May 26 (Prensa Latina) Ecuador appears among the 20 countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, according to a World Risk Report 2023.

May 26, 2024
09:46

The South American nation ranks 18th out of 193 countries. So far this year, the El Niño phenomenon has been one of the worst to hit the national territory, causing floods in the coastal region and drought in other locations.

According to the report, although extreme natural phenomena cannot be prevented, countries can reduce the risk of catastrophes by “fighting poverty and hunger, strengthening education and health, and adopting preparedness measures”.

However, based on the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) in Ecuador, a quarter of the population lives in poverty,

Last February, more than 86,000 people were affected by heavy rains associated with El Niño and six lost their lives.

The greatest devastation was concentrated in the provinces of Guayas, Manabí, Los Ríos, El Oro and Esmeraldas, on the coast of this South American nation.

jrr/arm/lam/nt