# El Niño causes one death and affects over 2,000 people in the Galápagos

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/el-nino-causes-one-death-and-affects-over-2000-people-in-the-galapagos/
- Published: 2026-11-04T11:55:44+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T23:54:42+00:00
- Original publisher: El País (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://english.elpais.com/climate/2026-11-04/el-nino-causes-one-death-and-affects-over-2000-people-in-the-galapagos.html
- Topics: World

## Key points

- El Niño-linked flooding killed one person on Santa Cruz.
- More than 2,000 people were affected.
- Island residents organised food, shelter and clean-up support.

## Summary

Heavy rain linked to El Niño triggered a mudslide and flooding on Santa Cruz island in the Galápagos, killing one person and affecting more than 2,000, according to the mayor. The disaster struck at night, leaving residents without warning and prompting firefighters, Red Cross workers and local volunteers to wake people and help them escape.

Floodwater reportedly reached three metres in the La Cascada and La Unión neighbourhoods, where some families fled by swimming or used ropes to keep children, older people and pets together. Many sought shelter at a sports complex; a local foundation has identified at least 500 affected people missing from the official count and is helping provide meals to about 1,200. Residents have also organised clean-up and animal-care efforts, while authorities said no giant tortoises or wild birds had been reported dead.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.