Peru hit by deadly floods and mudslides

Latin America

Peru has been hit by a new wave of heavy rains and floods over the past three days, which have killed at least a dozen people.

So far this year, officials have said that a total of 62 people have died and 12,000 homes have been destroyed. Authorities have closed schools and announced a state of emergency in the capital of Lima, as well as several regions across the country.

CGTN’s Dan Collyns reports from Piura in northern Peru.

Flash floods and landslides have hit Peru’s capital and outlying areas forcing the authorities to suspend school classes and shut down roads. Those in charge have been caught unaware by the rain’s intensity and volume as the swollen river swept away all in their path.

People living on the country’s northern coast are used to downpours during rainy season. The rainfall has been 10-times the normal volume, and it’s swiftly heading south.

The government is getting its ministers on the ground, and said it will provide shelter and relief to the homeless. That’s nearly $250 million worth of aid for the hard-hit north.

“We are dealing with this emergency in the short term, but of course we need long-term strategies to avoid these constant situations so the people are not continually suffering in these emergencies,” Marilu Martens, Peru’s education minister said.