Peru girds for tough El Nino heat and rain

Lima, Peru announced a state of emergency in one-third of its cities on Thursday, anticipating severe heat and rain due to the El Nino weather phenomenon. El Nino warms ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, leading to widespread atmospheric changes, including warmer global temperatures and altered rainfall patterns.

Peru's government is preparing for hotter temperatures and increased rainfall than usual. A state of emergency will be implemented in 607 out of the country's 1,800 municipalities to safeguard food security, according to the Council of Ministers.

The majority of these affected areas are located in the Andes mountains and the Amazon region. This declaration signifies that local authorities must collaborate with the government to mitigate the high risks posed to people, agriculture, and livestock. President Keiko Fujimori, who assumed office just 15 days ago, established a special commission on Monday to tackle the impending climate emergency.

The 2023 El Nino event resulted in flooding and landslides that caused 99 deaths. Approximately 9.3 million people, or over a quarter of Peru's population, are at high risk of flood and landslide incidents due to El Nino, as reported by the national disaster assessment agency Cenepred.