Ecuador

San Rafael region, Amazonian provinces of Napo and Sucumbí

Regional

On 07/04/2020, a landslide occurred in the San Rafael region, the Amazonian provinces of Napo and Sucumbí, at the vicinity of the active Reventador volcano in Ecuador. The landslide was attributed to an on-going geologic event in the affected area, i.e., the very aggressive and fast-evolving "regressive erosion" phenomenon of the San Rafael waterfall and the Coca river, which was accelerated and adversely affected by the rainy season.

This natural disaster is related to the collapse of the San Rafael waterfall on 02/02/2020 and an erosion phenomenon that happened upstream of the waterfall (e.g., triggering natural hazard).

The landslide damaged three oil pipelines which transport hydrocarbons and are found along the affected area.