El Salvador and Ecuador Boost Rescue Operations Amid Rising Emergencies

In El Salvador, the Civil Protection agency reported 24 water rescues during the August vacation period, including 20 deep‑water rescues involving 14 adults and six minors. Traffic accidents rose to 116 incidents, with 41 involving motorcyclists, and six fatalities were recorded. The national fire department, led by Director Baltazaro Solano, responded to a light‑show accident in Chinameca that injured 23 people, three of them children, and transferred 13 to medical facilities. Unusual brush‑fire activity linked to a heat wave caused 11 vegetation fires, marking a 58 % increase in emergency incidents.

In Ecuador, the Environmental Protection Unit (UPMA) of the National Police intensified operations in Zone 8, rescuing 413 wild animals from illegal trade—primarily parrots and parakeets—and seizing 620 m³ of illicit timber, a 50 % rise over the previous year. The unit conducted 3,095 preventive patrols, a 37 % increase, and confiscated 20 vehicles used for environmental crimes. Coordinator Fran Huilca highlighted the high mortality rate of trafficked animals and the growing sophistication of timber smugglers.