Wave after wave of mud, some up to ten feet high, flowed into the capital city of Ecuador after intense and heavy rainfall weakened a slope of Ruco Pinchincha volcano.
The neighborhoods of La Gasca and La Comuna received the worst of the catastrophe. Neighbors in the debris-filled communities dug with their own hands for hours, attempting to locate survivors. According to authorities, at least 24 people were crushed to death, and 48 were injured, with ten people missing though these early numbers are likely to change.
The overall weather pattern has been largely typical for Ecuador at this time of the year with daily showers and thunderstorms a common occurrence, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls.
On Monday, a few of these "typical" showers and thunderstorms transformed into an all-out deluge.
Many different rainfall observations were recorded across the city Monday, but the heaviest rainfall ultimately occurred in the western portion, according to Nicholls. Elevations climb dramatically just west of Quito, with the Pichincha volcano and many other high peaks located nearby.
Local authorities said that up to 3 inches (75 mm) of rain fell in the La Gasca neighborhood of Quito in just a few hours, according to Al Jazeera.
Quito Mayor Santiago Guarderas said Monday's rainfall was "a record figure" not seen since 2003.
Just over 11 inches (280 mm) of rain was recorded for the entire month of January at Quito's Mariscal Sucre Quito International Airport. The airport, located on the east side of the city, missed out on the heaviest rainfall from Monday's event.
Since October, around 2,800 people have been affected by heavy rain in Ecuador, with hundreds left homeless.
Ecuador is vulnerable to drought, heavy rainfall and, volcanic eruptions. Climate change is a threat multiplier, and these natural disasters are expected to intensify as the climate deteriorates.
The Ecuadorian landscape is dominated by the Andes Mountains, fertile river valleys, and a large number of volcanoes. Two tectonic plates, the Nazca Plate and the South American Plate, also converge in Ecuador. These geological and hydro-meteorological dynamics make Ecuador susceptible to several types of natural and geological occurrences including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tropical storms, floods and landslides.
Water resources in Ecuador are abundant but unequally distributed, and key drivers of economic development such as the agriculture and hydropower sectors are water-intensive sectors (irrigation represents 80 percent of consumptive water uses). Climate change is likely to impact water (and energy) production. Changes in rainfall patterns and the occurrence of extreme weather events are likely to increase water stress and affect the water balance, therefore affecting negatively the availability of water for investments in water supply and sanitation, as well as hydropower.
Flooding mainly affects the coastal zone, while volcanic eruptions affect the central zone. Drought has been recorded in the northern coastal and central regions, and frequent landslides affect urban areas and infrastructure. Climate extremes are already the most common type of disasters in Ecuador, adversely affecting the population and the economy of the country. While climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events in many regions of the world, Ecuador becomes even more vulnerable to climate change.
Ecuador has only contributed .7% to global emissions.
Not only did the flooding cause severe damage in Quito, but heavy rainfall caused flooding across Ecuador; homes and crops were destroyed, leaving people vulnerable until significant aid arrives.