As usual it is the most vulnerable and the most marginalised who are the most affected.
In March 2017 there was massive flooding from the rivers in the Peruvian coastal desert from north to south due to excessive rain in the sierra. The sudden and abnormal warming of Pacific Ocean waters off the coast of Peru caused the deadliest downpours in a decade. The flooding continued for several more weeks. Peru’s devastating crisis led to at least 85 deaths and more than 13,000 people homes collapsed with a further 14,000 uninhabitable. 195 bridges collapsed and 2000 miles of roads destroyed. (estimated figures as at 26.3.17). Landslides contaminated water treatment plants leaving parts of Lima without drinking water. Schools were closed. Roads being cut off by landslides caused scarcities of food and unsustainable price rises.
Don’t miss this dramatic video:
At short notice and in response to the state of emergency everyone in our Project Peru refuge contributed to load a car with water, food, toys for the children, clothes and more, which they took to Huarmey, in the Ancash region north of Lima, which was badly affected and had had very little help.
http://efe.com/efe/english/life/peruvian-town-of huarmey-enduring-heavy-flooding/50000263-3215847
Luckily our own refuge is not near a river and we had taken precautions two years previously to prevent any major damage to our own buildings, particularly our dining room, and to some of the buildings in the shanty-towns near us. So, in May and June 2017 Project Peru was able to go twice to Paramonga north of our refuge and with two teams of staff, volunteers, family members with local people we were able to complete two simple new houses for people who had lost everything. Some of these were like ghost communities as the landslides had flattened everything and there were just a few people left, with nowhere to go. In other places the roads were all dried mud and the houses of adobe and reed matting (esteras) had been crushed.
This sort of community work is only possible for us after generous donations. Please donate generously via this website.
Some of our basic house building in the area affected by the floods.
