In early March 2023, Peru experienced its first cyclone in 40 years, Cyclone Yaku, as well as the start of “El Niño Costero”, a localized heating of the ocean surface. These phenomena led to an extension of the rainy season, with heavy rains and flooding expected to continue until June. This arrives on the heels of various floods and landslides earlier this year.
As of 13 April, the Humanitarian National Network estimated that 517,000 people are in urgent humanitarian need in the country and over 114,900 households have been impacted. Eighty-three percent of the 1.5 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the country are in the most affected areas in the country, with a migrant/refugee status that in many cases limits their access to basic services.
With the Government declaring a state of emergency in over half of the country, our partner on the ground, Hombro a Hombro, has been mobilizing the local private sector. This includes conducting damage assessments and the distribution of aid in hard-to-reach areas, from Paita to Piura, Tumbes, and Lambayeque, as an integral part of the humanitarian response efforts.
Additional activities have included:
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Coordinating private sector donations of over 368.61 tons of humanitarian aid consisting of non-perishable food, water, water purifiers, hygiene items and cleaning supplies that are donated to the population through INDECI
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Providing water purifying sachets that can process 832 tons of water for human consumption
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Delivering more than 14,128 bags of food to serve families of four members for a week each, with an estimated 56,512 beneficiaries (included in the numbers reflected in the first bullet above) in coordination with municipalities, INDECI and other partners
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Supporting INDECI in providing logistic services of air and ground transport of technical personnel and cargo by making 62 trucks per day and 1 van available to them and facilitating air transportation of approximately 100 people and 3 tons of cargo
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Providing access to additional warehouse storage space in warehouses belonging to private companies in disaster areas (Trujillo and Chiclayo) and accommodation for organization personnel for 12 days in hotels in emergency areas (Piura, Arequipa) to support INDECI
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Deploying eight tanker trucks in Piura to remove water from the streets, two front loaders in Trujillo for cleaning and removal of debris, and supplying tools for recovery and reconstruction of the area
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Facilitating support from heavy machinery companies to remove debris from the affected areas, an initiative led by Ferreycorp in coordination with the Ministry of Housing
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Coordinating the donation by the private sector of 900 blankets and new winter clothing for shelter care
For more information about the situation overall, you can visit the Peru Floods and Landslides Emergency page.