Peru: New Floods in Cusco Region · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

When it was believed that the disaster situation caused by rains and flooding in Cusco, Peru and surrounding areas had gotten better, on March 1st strong rains [es] once again caused the overflow another river. The overflow of the Quesermayo River in the Taray District, Calca Province in the Cusco region produced 7 deaths, various injured and the flooding of 80% of the housing in the area [es]. It also affected the highway linking Cusco and Pisac. What made this flooding different than past occasions, is that it appeared that help arrived faster and the same day of the disaster, the Minister of Energy and Mines arrived with 3 tons of food assistance [es].
Photo by Marco Moscoso and used with permission.
However, it was also reported that other villages were affected [es], such as Cuya and Yacarpay, and a state of emergency was declared in other districts of Cusco, such as San Sebastián, San Jerónimo, Anta, Zurite, Limatambo and Lamay. As had been the case during the previous disaster, it was through Twitter that much of the news and photos of what was happening.
Marco A. Moscoso (@markopunk):
Taray en Calca se ha inundado por desborde de rio.
Rita A.B (@ritaposa):
La lluvia en Cusco amenaza con continuar, Ayer llovió toda la noche y de nuevo todos los problemas surgieron, muchos niños no irán a clase.
Javier Murillo Ch. (@ jataz8):
Volviendo del camino Cusco – Pisac, es imposible pasar más del km 30, desde el mirador se observa que Taray esta completamente inundado
Even though some paths were blocked, Moscoso of the blog El Caminerito [es] was able to arrive and take some photos, some which were posted on Twitpic. He also recorded video and when he returned to Cusco uploaded it to his blog:
Hoy se realizaron trabajos de limpieza y encausamiento con el apoyo del Ejército Peruano, así como se inició con la labor de empadronar a los damnificados al tiempo de brindarles alimento. De regreso al Cusco, la pista Pisac – San Salvador se vio interrumpida al derrumbarse el cerro conocido como Morro Blanco por lo que para continuar hay que cruzar por chacras y lodo.
He also contributed to a video with the blog Prensa Contacto [es]:
In the above mentioned blog Prensa Contacto [es], they were able to collect statements from Ciriaco Condori, the Mayor of Calca Province:
Nos faltó cultura de prevención, esto nos pasó de improviso. Nos encontramos negociando con el alcalde de Pisaq para que se reubiquen a las familias damnificadas en un terreno de esa jurisdicción. El gobierno central debería autorizar de manera efectiva la compra de maquinaría pesada a las municipalidades.
Finally, Javier Murillo of the blog El Pensador [es] (The Thinker), who was unable to arrive to Taray, uploaded photos and videos to his blog about the state of the Cusco – Pisac highway, which also suffered the ravages of nature: