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New Rainy Season Wreaks Havoc in Peru

Written byJuan Arellano
Translated byKate R.

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Read this post in Français, Malagasy, Español
Translation posted 19 February 2014 17:48 GMT

[All links lead to Spanish language pages, unless otherwise noted.]

The 2014 rainy season, like those of previous years, is bringing destruction and death to various parts of Peru, especially the southern Andes and the eastern Amazon.

In mid-January, the Civil Defense reported three bridges damaged, 300 hectares of crops affected, and more than 20 houses damaged by the rains in Andahuaylas [en], Apurimac, asking for a state of emergency to be declared in this area. By the end of that month, the National Service for Meteorology and Hydrology (Senamhi) warned that 16 regions of the country may be affected by the increasing rains in upcoming days.

A landslide, caused by rain, blocks a stretch of roadway between Ayacucho and Apurímac.

Rains wreak havoc on the Andahuaylas-Apurímac roadway.

On February 2, the government declared a state of emergency in the Madre de Dios Region [en] upon receiving a report from the Civil Defense. The communication reported 2,800 people affected, 560 homes destroyed and 1,270 damaged, 15 kilometers of roadway destroyed, and two bridges and 782 hectares of crops damaged by the rains and flooding from rivers.

Various tourist lodges have had to close temporarily, unable to guarantee the safety of their clients. Recently, help has been provided to the native communities in the region.

Rains leave more than 6,000 people affected.

Water levels rise in the Beni, Madre de Dios, and Acre rivers; residents of Pando are concerned; the rains continue. 

Days later, a state of emergency was also declared in four areas in the Huancavelica Region [en]. Declaration of a state of emergency was also requested for parts of Pasco [en], and help was delivered to victims in the district of San Pedro de Putinapunco, Sandia, in Puno [en].

Huancavelica: The government declares a state of emergency in various districts in the region.

Sandia requests a declaration of a state of emergency for rains in Puno.

The situation in Cusco [en] is slightly more serious. By January 23, there were already 30 reported emergencies caused by the rains, mainly floods and landslides.

On January 30, it was reported that in the districts of Paucartambo and Colquepata, the rains and hail had damaged more than 170 hectares of farmland, with losses of around half a million nuevos soles ($177,525 USD). Furthermore, the district of Ocobamba was left isolated by a landslide covering part of the roadway leading to the area.

Heavy rains leave 4,000 residents of the district of Yanatile without communication.

Pregnant women at risk in the Patria-Pilcopata area; they are now in the Cusco Regional Hospital.

Heavy rains recorded in the Imperial City of Cusco. More information shortly.

On February 7, the mayor of Pilcopata, a district in Cusco, announced that due to landslides blocking the access road, 35 tourists coming from the Manú National Park [en], in Madre de Dios, were trapped in the area.

Later, on February 11, it was discovered that 51 Chilean tourists were stranded in the vicinity of Machu Picchu [en] because the rise of a river had destroyed a bridge. Later it was reported that the group, along with another group of tourists, was evacuated to Cusco by train.

More than 50 Chilean tourists were stranded in Machu Picchu.

Tourists stranded by the collapse of the Aobamba Bridge in Cusco are being transferred.

In the central jungle region, it was reported that the heavy rains led to the rise of the Rio Negro, which caused landslides to block roadways in various parts of Satipo [en], Junín, isolating up to 8 towns.

In Oxapampa, Pasco, two road workers died, buried by a landslide caused by the heavy rains. In the Ucayali region, the river of the same name was declared in red alert by the Senamhi due to high water levels.

Collapse of the roadway between Villa Rica and La Merced at the village of Pampa Encantada 2/11/14, heavy rain in the central jungle region.

The jungle of Pasco in a state of emergency… more than 40 landslides caused by the rains.

Meanwhile, in the north of Peru, the region of Piura is suffering a severe drought that is affecting agriculture and livestock. And in the south, in Arequipa, forecasts of ice storms and hailstorms were announced for the upcoming days.

Post originally published on the blog Globalizado, by Juan Arellano.

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Written byJuan Arellano
Translated byKate R.

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