A major part of the environment is the Gulf of Guayaquil, which is a smaller part of the Pacific Ocean. This body of water provides many rivers and smaller waters into the city that help the income of their economy. With many different kinds of seafood available just off shore, there are a lot of jobs and food for the people who fish for them. The Pacific Ocean also provides many beaches for the city's residents to enjoy during the hot, humid season.
Ecuador can sometimes receive heavy rainfall from a periodic weather phenomenon known as "El Niño". This phenomenon is characterized by the warming of the Pacific Ocean all across the world, happening every two to seven years. Extreme conditions from El Niño in Guayaquil consist of flooding and warming of the bodies of water near the city. There are less nutrients in the water, which affect the availability of seafood in the area. Because much of Guayaquil depends on the seafood to keep their economy going, many people can lose jobs when there is less fish. The flooding has also caused serious damage on the homes of the poorer people in Guayaquil.
Many people have lost their homes due to flooding. Some have used bamboo trees and wood to rebuild, while others have used brick and cinderblock after getting help from the city government. Their homes are built on top of the waters of mangrove forests. By using tall, wooden stilts to keep the homes high off of the ground, they can keep themselves and their families safe from possible floods.
