11 people tragically die after huge mudslide sweeps them away

It is the heaviest flooding in two decades.

At least 11 people have died in Ecuador after a landslide was caused by some of the country's heaviest floods in two decades. Cars and homes were swept away in the capital city of Quito as they were carried by huge amounts of water and mud in the streets of the city. 32 people have since been recorded as injured, according to the latest figures, and many homes have been destroyed. According to authorities, torrential rain poured over the city and forced a water collection to overflow, forcing streams of water down a nearby hillside. This then travelled to a sports ground where a number of people were training. According to the Mirror, one resident Belen Bermeo told local media: “I saw how the current swept away a man and a boy, it was terrible.” Soldiers are now hunting through the aftermath and wreckage searching for more victims. Mayor Santiago Guarderas said that there are “11 dead, 15 injured and we have eight collapsed structures.” The number of injuries was then brought up to 32 with families in the area brought to local shelters. The Mayor then confirmed that there have been 75 litres of rain per square metre, following on from Saturday’s 3.5 litres. He added that this is a “record figure, which we have not had since 2003.” The city also experienced a power outage after an electrical pole was hit by the landslide. Heavy rain has been occurring in Ecuador since October, with 18 now dead and 24 injured since they began, with Monday’s events being the worst they’ve seen so far. Due to the worsening climate crisis, scientists say the world is at an increased risk of heavy downpours due to the warmer atmosphere being able to hold more water. The flood in Quito began on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano that overlooks the city.