Road collapse isolates 200 residents in Nambacola, Ecuador

Heavy winter rains destroyed a culvert on the Mollepamba‑Higuerón‑Totora road, causing the roadway to collapse and cutting off the Totora neighbourhood in the Nambacola parish of Gonzanamá, Loja province. About 200 inhabitants have been without road access for roughly two months, preventing pedestrian and vehicle traffic, including the transport of agricultural produce to markets.

Parish government vocal Franco Jaramillo visited the site and attempted a repair with inadequate equipment, promising to return with larger machinery within 15 days, but he has not returned. Residents, led by Daniel Ocampo Soto, are urging the new parish president José Jiménez and other officials to install a new culvert and ensure proper maintenance. The road, originally built during the first administration of former mayor Paulo Herrera, remains vital for the community and can also be accessed via alternative routes through Portete and Nambacola.

Local authorities have been asked to act promptly to restore connectivity and prevent further isolation of the neighbourhood.