Peru is currently facing a critical situation as the southern city of Arequipa and several other areas have experienced severe flooding due to heavy rainfall linked to the El Niño Costero phenomenon. In response, the Peruvian government has declared a nationwide state of emergency to facilitate swift action and response to the crisis. Interim president José María Balcázar has been actively visiting the affected regions to personally oversee the damage assessments and coordinate relief efforts necessary to support the affected communities.

The impact of the flooding has been significant, with authorities reporting that over 700 districts are now under emergency measures to expedite funding aimed at repairing critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and other essential services. Reports indicate that approximately 931 kilometers of roads have been damaged, which poses serious challenges for transportation and accessibility, affecting the mobility of hundreds of thousands of residents in the impacted areas. The situation is exacerbated by the loss of life; at least 68 fatalities have been linked to flooding and landslides since December, underscoring the urgency of the crisis.

Experts attribute this extreme weather event to the El Niño phenomenon, which is associated with warmer Pacific waters leading to increased evaporation and subsequently higher river levels. The Peruvian government’s swift declaration of a state of emergency highlights the gravity of the situation and the potential need for extensive humanitarian assistance as recovery efforts commence and further assessments of the long-term impacts are conducted in the wake of the disaster.