Peru declares an El Niño emergency in nearly three-quarters of the country ahead of the Pope’s visit

Peru's government has declared a state of emergency covering 1,380 out of 1,891 districts, roughly three-quarters of the country, due to the potential threat of heavy rains caused by the El Niño phenomenon. This includes all regions Pope Leo XIII will visit from November 13, located in northern Peru. The declaration affects all 24 departments and the province of Callao.

Recent rains have led to flooding in homes and streets, affecting 324 people in Tumbes, on the border with Ecuador, and causing flooding in Chulucanas, in the Piura region, where Pope Leo XIII lived during his missionary work in the 1980s. President Keiko Fujimori postponed her trip to Madrid to oversee the response and warned of additional rain in Tumbes and Piura on November 7 and 8.

The emergency declaration enables local governments to implement preventive, response, and rehabilitation measures with the National Civil Defence Institute. The proclamation also covers all 38 districts in Lambayeque, on the northern coast. Pope Leo XIII, who holds Peruvian citizenship and was formerly bishop of Chiclayo, will celebrate Masses on November 13 in Pampas de Pimentel and on November 14 in Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, with nearly a million faithful expected in Chiclayo.

Security for the visit will involve around 2,500 police, 1,000 soldiers, and 6,500 volunteers. Meteorologists predict temperatures up to 32 degrees Celsius in Chiclayo. Jorge Chávez Cresta, regional coordinator for the visit, stated that heavy rains are expected in Lambayeque after the Pope departs the country, but contingency plans are in place.

The region has faced severe flooding during the El Niño events of 1982-1983 and 1997-1998, and Chiclayo lacks a comprehensive drainage system. Scientists expect the El Niño episode to last until June 2027. In Ecuador, El Niño rains resulted in one death and over 2,000 affected on Santa Cruz island in the Galápagos last week. Pope Leo XIII will visit Uruguay and Argentina before arriving in Peru.