Peru is facing one of the biggest natural disaster caused by the El Niño conditions which has brought torrential rain, landslides and floods affecting thousands of families in the region of Lima, Ica, Ancash, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Arequipa, Piura and Tumbes.
Peruvian officials have reported 75 deaths, 263 people injured, 10,538 collapsed houses, 159 bridges destroyed and 1,903 kilometres of road network damaged.
Caritas Peru launched a national campaign which aims to meet the most urgent basic needs for families affected by the landslides and floods.
Cáritas distribution in Cusco. Photo by Cáritas del Peru
Seventy tonnes of aid consisting of non-perishable food items, bottled water, clothing, corrugated iron and pumps, among other things, were collected in the first five days of the campaign.
Ángel Allcarima, Risk Management and Climate Change manager at Caritas Peru, reports that forty tonnes of humanitarian aid were distributed through the network of diocesan Caritas.
“We sent 30 tonnes (of aid) to Caritas Chosica, which are being distributed in the areas of Chosica, Chaclacayo, Huachipa, Cajamarquilla and Santa Eulalia, benefiting a total of 859 families affected by the landslides.
Meanwhile, 1.6 tonnes of humanitarian aid were airlifted to Caritas Piura, consisting of non-perishable food items, water and clothing, and distributed to 120 affected families”.
Caritas Chiclayo also received 5.3 tonnes of humanitarian aid for affected families.
Caritas Peru will distribute 25 more tonnes of aid in the coming days, reaching the most difficult to reach areas by air and sea.