Early Warning Systems in Duran, Ecuador

At ESPOL, the Pacific International Center for Disaster Risk Reduction has been working on the design and implementation of early warning systems, since 2018, in a co-production model with local government. The last one implemented is in place in Duran, a mid-size city of about 300 thousand inhabitants, an estuarine city exposed to floods, landslides and urban heat island. Currently the early warning system is oriented towards flooding. The implementation of the EWS involved an intensive work with the community not only to establish communication protocols but also the asses the flooding thresholds in different neighborhoods. The EWS is in place and working effectively since may 2023.