"Ecuador's Milagro district, in Guayas province was hit by severe flooding on Tuesday after a river had overflown due to intense rainfall in the region for several days. "The water reaches waist height, and we hope it does not rise to neck level; that would be the end. It is extremely terrible," said Federico Andrade, an affected resident. Footage shows locals wading through flooded streets, families moving their belongings to dry areas, and people travelling by bicycle in waist-high water. The heavy rainfall has flooded urban and rural areas, turning streets into deep rivers and forcing many families to leave their homes. "People are already taking precautions. In the early hours, they started taking out mattresses, fridges, because they get damaged, wardrobes. People are getting ahead of it," added Federico Andrade. Municipal authorities and firefighters have deployed teams to assist families, while temporary shelters are being set up for those displaced from their homes. According to data provided by the National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR), Guayas is among the most affected provinces during the rainy season. So far, the rains have left three people dead, more than 9,200 affected, and almost 3,000 homes damaged according to media reports. The cantonal Emergency Operations Committee [COE] declared a red alert in the provinces of Carchi, Guayas, Loja, Esmeraldas, Los Rios and Pichincha."