Rains, avalanches and floods that have appeared in recent days in Peru have left, so far, One dead, two missing and hundreds homeless in Lima and the north of the country, according to various official sources.
The National Police confirmed this Thursday to EFE the death of a man who was reported missing on Tuesday in the district of Cieneguilla, in the Lima province of Huarochirí, on a day in which avalanches and floods have been repeated in some parts of Lima. , although with less force than in previous days. The 65-year-old man became the first death confirmed by the rains and avalanches that have fallen in the capital, which went on red alert this Tuesday, but have affected the north of the country since last week, with a report from 8 dead. Although rainfall has decreased in Lima, new avalanches have been reported in districts such as Chosica and Chaclacayo, causing material damage to homes and other infrastructure.
The rains in the highlands have caused the increase in flows and overflows of rivers, falls of avalanches, collapse of houses and the closure of roadswhile during the night of this Thursday leaks were reported in the wall that protects the Vía de Evitamiento highway of the Rímac river, in the capital’s historic center.
On the other hand, the National Emergency Center (COEN) reported that in the northern region of Piura, 6 people were reported injured and 2 missing, as well as houses destroyed, after an avalanche fell in the district of Canchaque. The authorities began “response actions” after the damage and residents were evacuated to hotels, relatives’ homes, auditoriums and nearby community centers, while humanitarian aid was delivered to the victims.
The National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (Senamhi) forecast, for the next 24 hours, the activation of streams (in red level) in 68 provinces of the departments of Áncash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín , Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Pasco, San Martin and Ucayali. The COEN added that on the coast of Tumbes, Piura and Ica, moderate to heavy rains are expected, in the northern sierra the fall of moderate to heavy hail, snow and sleet and in the central and southern sierra moderate to heavy rain. extreme intensity. There is also the probability of snow falling in areas above 4,000 meters above sea level and hail in locations above 2,800 meters. The agency indicated that in the southern and central high jungle, moderate to strong intensity rain is expected, accompanied by electric shocks and gusts of wind.
For his part, Defense Minister Jorge Chávez informed that 5,000 members of the Armed Forces are dedicated to responding to the emergency in the regions affected by the heavy rains. Chávez inspected this Thursday the damage caused by avalanches in the coastal district of Punta Hermosa, in the south of Lima, and the work in that place of the First Multipurpose Brigade and the First Brigade of Special Forces. “We work together with local governments and also with the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima,” he said.
Heavy rainfall in Peru has increased since last week with the appearance of Cyclone Yakuwhich has begun to move away from the Peruvian coast, but has left extensive material damage in the north and center of the country.