Ecuador declares national emergency amid wildfires, drought

QUITO, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador declared a 60-day national emergency to tackle wildfires, water shortages and drought afflicting the South American country, said Energy Minister Ines Manzano on Monday.

Seventeen active fires and five controlled ones were reported in different parts of the country, with the southern provinces of Azuay and Loja being the hardest-hit provinces, said the minister in a press relea