El Niño Causes Major Floods in Peru

Aerial view after a massive landslide and floods in the Huachipa district of Lima, Peru, on Thursday, March 17, 2017. Photo: Reuters

Storms from the El Niño weather pattern have caused serious floods in Peru this week, with the death toll rising to 72 on Monday. Flooding and mudslides have been reported in 24 out of 25 regions in Peru, according to Humanity Road.

While major urban areas remain largely unaffected, the flooding has impacted availability of fresh water in Lima, the country’s capital, and outskirts of the city have experienced major flooding as rivers overflow. Weeks of heavy rains have caused rivers across the country to rise, displacing hundreds since the rainy season began earlier this month. Several cities have declared states of emergency, but the government insists that they have the situation under control.

Experts have announced that the rain is expected to continue for another two weeks. This is the worst flooding Peru has see in two decades. Fortunately for visitors, this has not affected important tourist areas such as central Lima, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Arequipa, Puno, Madre de Dios, San Martin, Amazonas, and Loreto.