"The heavy rains that continue to hit Ecuador are causing havoc, and in the coastal town of Chanduy in the province of Santa Elena, at least 20 boats have reportedly sunk, according to local media reports. Footage filmed on Wednesday shows shrimp larvae labs flooded by the overflow from the Chanduy River. Boats are seen floating in the water, and fishermen are trying to navigate their vessels through the chaos. During the rains and flooding, a fisherman was trying to rescue his boat when he was swept away by strong currents and died. He was transferred to a local hospital, but when he arrived, he had no vital signs. According to witnesses, the man had been trying to save his boat. "This is the suffering we fishermen have. It is the day-to-day that we lose fibreglass boats and we lose workmates, coworkers. We already have one drowned, unfortunately," said a fisherman. "They say he was beaching his fibreglass boat over there by the cabin. I just saw our colleague, and he is already showing no vital signs. A licensed professional told me he arrived with no vital signs," added another. The heavy rains in Ecuador have continued to wreak havoc, reportedly causing the deaths of 3 people and affecting more than 22,000 others so far. In addition, 1,200 incidents have occurred, including floods, landslides, and river overflows. Eight coastal provinces of Ecuador have been declared in a 'regional state of emergency' for 90 days due to the impact of intense rains from the current rainy season. The provinces affected are Guayas, Esmeraldas, Los Rios, El Oro, Santa Elena, Manabi, Loja in the south and Chimborazo in the central region. The situation is complicated due to the forecast of persistent rain on the coast, which is expected to continue until March 6, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI)."