Devastating landslide in Ecuador

Devastating landslide in Ecuador

by
South America Region Church of the Nazarene
| 05 Apr 2023
Imatge
Ecuador Landslide

A large landslide buried houses in the Alausí neighborhood of the Chimborazo Province in Ecuador on the night of 26 March 2023. According to the first reports, the landslide was of significant size and covered a large part of the "Nuevo Alausí" area.

Local media accounts say that Nueva Alausí and Control Norte have been the most affected by this landslide.

Alausí is a canton (or county) in the south of the Chimborazo Province with a population of 12,000. The landslide covered 250 homes in the neighborhoods of Paite, Casual, La Esperanza, Vilcapamba, Control Norte, Nuevo Alausí, and Púa. A significant number of people are reported missing, although the official number is not known yet. But many managed to get out due to an alert that was issued a few minutes before the disaster. An evacuation was also ordered for the San Cristóbal neighborhood, where the building of the Church of the Nazarene is located. 

The church came to the aid of those affected, offering prayer and humanitarian support such as hygiene kits, meals, and in some cases, mattresses and blankets. 

Some families that belong to the Church of the Nazarene have been affected by the loss of their household belongings, such as beds, mattresses, living room furniture, appliances, clothes, and shoes, among other items.

Pastor Jonathan Valdiviezo of the Church of the Nazarene in the sector has established a soup kitchen to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 200 people every day during the first 30 days of the disaster.

The Church of the Nazarene in Ecuador requests prayer for the following:

  • God's provision of the resources, logistics, food supplies, personal hygiene items, shelter, medical and psychological support, and housing for the victims.
  • The families affected, especially the Martatoma family, who are members of the church. Two members of the family had already left the risk zone but returned to save their animals and were not able to escape in time.
  • The people missing —it is estimated that at least 150 people are missing from the community.

--Church of the Nazarene South America

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