On the night of October 30, more than ten hours of torrential rain fell on the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. By morning, water had rushed down from Bellavista and Santa Rosa into Puerto Ayora, overwhelming drainage and pouring into homes. In the La Cascada and La Unión neighborhoods, it reached two to three meters deep.
The damage is serious. Santa Cruz Mayor Fanny Uribe estimates that about 2,000 families have been affected, and many have lost nearly everything they own. At least one person died. Ecuador has declared a state of emergency for the islands, and the national government has flown in more than 10 tons of food, medicine, water pumps and clothing.
What happened
The rains are linked to El Niño, which Ecuador’s risk-management authority has warned will intensify through December. Firefighters, Red Cross volunteers and neighbors went door to door through the night and rescued people by kayak and Zodiac. Hundreds of families took shelter in the Puerto Ayora coliseum.
In the days since, residents have set up community kitchens, and local hotels and restaurants have opened their doors and donated food. Families still need shelter, food, clothing, hygiene supplies and help cleaning out flooded homes. The town’s water service has also been disrupted.
What it means for travelers
The wildlife came through well. Ecuador’s Environment Ministry reported no deaths of giant tortoises or wild birds. Some visits have been disrupted, though. Commercial flights were suspended on October 31, damaged roads have made the highland tortoise reserves harder to reach, and the Galápagos National Park temporarily restricted six visitor sites on Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal. If you have a trip coming up, your tour operator is your best source for current conditions.
How IGTOA is helping
IGTOA has launched an emergency GoFundMe, Galápagos Flood Relief: Help Santa Cruz Recover, in partnership with AGIPA, the association of Galápagos National Park naturalist guides.
Many of AGIPA’s guides live in Puerto Ayora, and many of them are the same people who have led your hikes, snorkeled beside you and introduced you to the islands. AGIPA also runs the Galápagos Community Library, which IGTOA has supported for years. The library’s team and volunteers were among the first to respond. They are cooking daily meals for displaced families, buying cleanup supplies and bringing mosquito repellent from the mainland to help prevent dengue as the water recedes.
AGIPA will distribute the funds where they’re needed most. We know they will use them well, because we’ve seen it before. During the COVID-19 crisis, AGIPA managed the donations IGTOA members sent to out-of-work guides and their families, and it accounted for every dollar with detailed reports and receipts. It has committed to doing the same this time, and we’ll share updates on how the money is used.
The response so far has been remarkable. Donors gave more than $12,000 before we had even sent our announcement, so we’ve raised the goal to $30,000. IGTOA is matching the first $5,000 in donations.
How you can help
- Donate at gofund.me/ee3151d9e. Every dollar goes to flood relief.
- Share the fundraiser with friends and family, especially anyone who has visited Santa Cruz.
- Tour operators: forward it to your guests and past travelers, many of whom are already asking how they can help.
Santa Cruz has welcomed so many of us. Now its people need us. Thank you for standing with them.
Sources: MercoPress, El Comercio, Ecuador Times
