Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien Statement on Ecuador, 16 May 2016

(New York, 16 May 2016) My thoughts are with the people of Ecuador today as they mark one month since the earthquake devastated towns and villages in central and coastal provinces, killing nearly 700 people and destroying homes, schools and hospitals. Hundreds of thousands of people remain affected.

Government and local responders have been supporting the displaced families, who need temporary shelter, food and water, emergency health care and other necessities. Regional and international aid agencies have been working together to enhance the national humanitarian operation, offering expert staff, supplies and equipment.

When I visited the affected region three days after the earthquake, I met people who had lost family members, seen their homes flattened or suffered horrific injuries. One month on, their needs are still acute and these communities are still struggling to get back to normal daily life. Government recovery programmes are beginning but will take time to reach everyone. Some people will need assistance for a very long time. However, I am optimistic that the strong spirit of resilience I saw will help them get through this.

The international community must continue to support the Government and the Ecuadorean people as they deal with the consequences of this disaster. The appeal launched on 22 April remains less than 15% funded and I urge donors to give generously.

At the World Humanitarian Summit on 23-24 May, people from across the world will come to Istanbul expecting world leaders to make major commitments to prevent natural disasters from becoming tragedies. Supporting initiatives like the Global Preparedness Partnership and the Global Alliance for Urban Crises will help us prevent, prepare for and respond better to the crises of the future.

For more information, please contact:
Amanda Pitt, OCHA New York, pitta@un.org, Tel. + 1 917 442 810
Manuel Rodriguez, OCHA Panama, rodriguez31@un.org, Tel. + 507 6679 2212
OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int