Nationwide blackout hits Ecuador after heavy rains kill 17

Entire cities across Ecuador were left with no electricity Wednesday at around 3.30 pm just two days after Energy Minister Roberto Luque ruled out that possibility when he downplayed the importance of the cessation of activity of at least three hydroelectric power plants due to heavy rains that caused at least 17 deaths according to preliminary reports. In mid-April, a series of outages led to the dismissal of Luque's predecessor Andrea Arrobo.