Since January 2025, Ecuador has been experiencing a prolonged rainy season, causing intense floods and landslides. The western provinces of Manabí, Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Esmeraldas have been particularly affected. Over 111,000 people have been affected, with 14,155 displaced and over 31,500 homes damaged or destroyed.
Additionally, a landslide ruptured the Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline System on 13 March 2025, spilling crude in the Caple, Viche, and Esmeraldas rivers. These rivers are primary sources of drinking water and irrigation for 300,000 people.
Over 8,700 people have been directly affected by the loss of water access, soil contamination, and the destruction of farming plots used for cacao and oil palm cultivation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) reported a loss of over 13,700 hectares of crops and more than 96,000 animals affected or dead.
On 26 March 2025, the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) dispatched 2 experts from the Netherlands (oil spill response) and Spain (oil spill response and hazardous waste management) to Quito under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). They joined the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team in Esmeraldas to assist with the environmental assessment.
On 31 March, the European Maritime Service Agency (EMSA) also provided high-resolution satellite imagery on the oil spill damage, with assistance from the Copernicus Emergency Management Service.
The oil spill also caused serious ecological harm to the Esmeraldas River Estuary Mangrove Wildlife Refuge and surrounding natural reserves. Clean-up efforts have been delayed by poor road access, continued rains, and the lack of technical capacity on site.
The European Union contributed an additional €400,000 in humanitarian aid to the Ecuadorean Red Cross, which dispatched its teams to assist an estimated 176,200 people affected by the combined impact of floods and the oil spill.
Cash assistance is being provided to 1,500 families to cover their immediate needs, while shelter support is reaching about 2,500 families. Emergency medical services have been made available to 48,000 people, and 127,200 individuals have access to safe drinking water thanks to Red Cross distributions and water treatment.
Health conditions have also been deteriorating. As of mid-March, the Ministry of Health confirmed over 9,566 cases of dengue across the country, while damage to water systems, poor drainage, and the accumulation of stagnant water have contributed to the proliferation of disease vectors.
