IOM is currently working with the United Nations Emergency
Team-Ecuador (UNETE), the Civil Defence system and non-governmental
organizations to provide emergency shelter, food, water and
sanitation assistance to flood victims living in Ecuador's coastal
provinces which have been particularly affected by incessant rains
and swollen rivers.

IOM is also working with its partners to create a national
registry of the sheltered population according to age and sex so as
to better identify their needs.

According to recent government reports at least 16 people have
been killed by the floods with another 315,000 people affected.
About 13,500 people are currently living in temporary shelters and
a further 100,000 are in need of assistance.

"There are large numbers of people living in the flood zones who
do not want to abandon their homes," says IOM's Ana Maria Guzman in
Ecuador. "Most of the people in shelters, which are severely
overcrowded and which have poor sanitary conditions, are stressed
because they've had to abandon their homes or because they have
been separated from their families. There needs be improved
coordination in the identification of safe sites for shelters and
in their management."

The coastal provinces of Los Ríos, Manabí and El
Oro as well as Guayas and the Andean provinces of Chimborazo, Azuay
and the Loja, have been most affected by the floods.

Initial reports indicate that some 271,000 hectares of coffee,
cacao, banana, sugar cane, rice and corn have so far been destroyed
by the waters. 

Last week, Ecuador President Rafael Correa declared a state of
emergency for the coastal region, mobilized the armed forces and
asked for international assistance to address the emergency
situation which has affected 14 of the country's 24 provinces.

For further information, please contact:

Ana Maria Guzman

IOM Quito

Tel: +593 2 244 49 26

E-mail: "mailto:aguzman@oim.org.ec">aguzman@oim.org.ec