Fires fuelled by El Nino leave 12 dead in Peru

Fires driven by the El Nino weather phenomenon have claimed 12 lives and displaced hundreds in Peru since June, authorities reported on Wednesday. The National Emergency Operations Center, known as COEN, revealed that the majority of fatalities were farmers who perished while attempting to combat the flames. Cusco, a region near the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu, bore the brunt of the devastation, with a fire igniting near the iconic citadel earlier in the month.

In total, 457 forest fires were documented across Peru from June to October. Biologist Daniel Valle of the Scientific University of the South in Lima attributed the rapid spread of the flames to the extreme heat and arid conditions exacerbated by El Nino. He explained to AFP that a massive expanse of hot, dry air envelops the entire country due to the El Nino phenomenon.

These fires, frequently ignited by farmers clearing land for agriculture, have scorched over 1,000 hectares of farmland and razed approximately 100 homes. Additionally, 12,000 hectares of natural vegetation have succumbed to the infernos. As of Wednesday, seven wildfires were still raging in the Andes and the Peruvian Amazon, according to COEN.

El Nino, a periodic climatic event, elevates surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, causing global alterations in wind patterns, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation. While this year's "Super El Nino" is expected to reach its peak in December, it has already inflicted considerable damage, particularly in Central America, where drought conditions are causing animal deaths.