Peru: Floods, March 2017

Intense rains have caused widespread floods and landslides in Peru, reportedly affecting more than half the country. The floods have inundated key infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, and left some communities isolated. Concerns have been raised that stagnant water could present health risks, including the spread of Dengue fever.

The unusually high amounts of rainfall are thought to be caused by a warming of the surface waters in the Pacific Ocean, the El Niño phenomenon.

MapAction has deployed a team to Lima to support the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team in creating an overview of affected areas and priority needs.