Argentina and Ecuador start flood‑mitigation works to boost drainage resilience

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Services in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province began cleaning and reshaping an 850‑metre stretch of the Cañada del Saladillo canal between Provincial Route 65 and the town of 12 de Octubre. Using two backhoes, the work will improve channel profile and drainage capacity as part of a broader Climate Risk Management Plan aimed at preparing for stronger El Niño‑related rainfall.

In Ibarra, Ecuador, the municipal government launched a $479,552 project to build a concrete box‑culvert in the San Clemente ravine. The structure will channel floodwater more effectively during the rainy season, reducing overflow risks that threaten homes, roads and public spaces, and improving connectivity between neighbourhoods. Both initiatives are intended to strengthen local resilience against increasingly extreme weather events.