Planting of the 1998 wheat crop, mostly grown in the highlands, has started under wetter than normal conditions, while sowing of maize (yellow) and paddy is being disrupted due to adverse weather in the coastal provinces of Manabi and Las Guayas, as well as in the central and southern provinces of Los Rios and Loja respectively. Torrential rains and flooding, and isolated landslides, are reported since November in all the coastal provinces, and since late December in the interior provinces of Bolivar, Cotopaxi and Los Rios, resulting in a high number of casualties and severe damage to housing and infrastructure and to the agricultural sector. In some parts, cereal as well as other food and important cash crops, such as coffee, cacao, bananas and sugar cane are reported to be seriously damaged. A detailed assessment of the situation has not yet been made, but it is reported that about 105 000 hectares of foodcrops grown along the coast have been severely affected, while heavy losses have been inflicted to the maize crop grown in the highlands. The livestock sector and several shrimp farms have also suffered from the intensity of the phenomenon. In some sections it is reported that no water purifying chemicals was available, posing a serious threat to public health. A state of emergency has been declared by the Government and a request for assistance to the international community has been launched. Wheat imports in the 1998 marketing year (January/December) are expected to be about 485 000 tonnes, similar to 1997.