VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHQT #0127 0501229
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191229Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0067
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 7979
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3402
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ FEB LIMA 3045
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4114
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 0628
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS QUITO 000127 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ELTN ETRD ECON EC
SUBJECT: HEAVY RAINS ISOLATE QUITO FROM ECUADOR'S COAST 
 
Ref.  A) 08 Quito 267, B) 08 Quito 225, C) 08 Quito 160 
 
¶1.  Heavy rains in February washed out sections of the roads that 
connect Quito to Ecuador's coast.  The three northern-most roads 
that link the highlands (Sierra) to the coast were all blocked over 
the weekend of February 14.  The main coastal-highland highway that 
connects Quito to Santo Domingo (and from there to the major coastal 
cities) was washed out the evening of Friday, February 13, 2009. 
Apparently debris blocked a culvert that carried water from a large 
waterfall under the road, so the water washed over the road, badly 
eroding the ground under the road, causing most of it to collapse. 
According to media reports, one (risky) lane was opened on February 
¶17. 
 
¶2.  Additionally, the heavy rains caused washouts and landslides 
along two other routes that connect Quito and the northern highlands 
to the northern province of Esmeraldas.  One of those roads, which 
passes the growing tourist destination around Mindo, had been 
blocked when another culvert failed and the road was washed out. 
Authorities built a by-pass around the damaged area for light 
vehicles, but trucks were banned.  The road was again blocked over 
the weekend by landslides. 
 
¶3.  These simultaneous road blockages brought traffic between Quito 
and the coast to a standstill, stranding approximately 6000 
vehicles.  While it is still possible to access the coast via roads 
farther to the south, these routes are considerably longer, 
inadequate for heavy truck traffic, and inconvenient for travel 
between the northern highlands and northern coast.  Agricultural 
production in the coast and highlands is complementary, and the lack 
of truck access is leading to food shortages in both regions. 
Storekeepers told journalists that they would raise prices if access 
was not restored quickly. 
 
¶4.  The Ministry of Public Works has plans to install bridges on the 
Santo Domingo road that officials said would allow traffic to resume 
within a week.  These will only be able to accommodate light 
vehicles, however, and will not be able to support the trucks that 
use these routes.  Ministry officials state that it will take 1-2 
months to restore the roads to full functionality.  Meanwhile, it 
appears that the roads to the coast will be in barely useable 
condition right before the Carnival holidays, when many Quitenos 
traditionally drive to the northern beaches. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Comment:  In early 2008, heavy rains caused major damage 
in the coastal region as well as some damage to roads in the 
highlands, including the collapse of a major interchange in 
Quito--again because of a failed water tunnel under the road 
(reftels b-c).  This year has again seen heavy rains, with the first 
major casualty being the roads linking the coast and the highlands. 
Last year's rain helped contribute to an upsurge in inflation (ref 
a); it remains to be seen what additional damage will come from this 
year's rain but the current road problems will probably only have a 
short inflationary impact.  Last year's road damage led to grumbling 
about the effectiveness of the government's road 
building/maintenance program, for which it set aside several hundred 
million dollars.  While maintenance of the roads is often the 
purview of local governments or highway concessionaires, the latest 
mishaps, which appear to be partially the result of inadequate 
preventive maintenance, could revive complaints about the central 
government's expensive infrastructure program. 
 
Hodges