Agro, Business, Environment, Natural Disasters

Peru Weather Report: Summer Rains and Temperatures Rise

Increased flooding and landslides have been reported in the Andean highlands and cloud forest areas throughout the length of the country, blocking transport on the roads and highways.

Rains in the dry coastal desert region of Ica have weakened the flat roofs of houses in the villages of Molletambo and Huarangal, in the district of Yauca, and affected farmland and olive groves in other inland rural valleys.  Also in Ica, the foothills in Nazca have been affected by rains, with a landslide on the highway inland to Puccio.

Further south, in the highlands of Torata in the Moquegua region, landslides and floods from double the usual seasonal rainfall have affected farmland and irrigation systems.

In Puno, the Ramis river had risen two feet by Wednesday due to the heavy rains.  According to German Quispe, deputy manager of Civil Defense for Puno, the Ramis has risen over two feet due to heavy rains as well as snow and hail in the upper plains.

In the central highlands of Junin, near Huancayo, rains and floods washed away two houses and damaged several others in Sapallanga.

Meanwhile, just east of Lima, in Chosica and Chaclacayo, rains led to flooding of streets in the lower areas near the river, and minor mudslides in gulleys that are vulnerable during the rainy season.

On the north coast, in Trujillo, work was carried out several months ago by the Ministry of Culture to reinforce roofings over several important walls at the pre-Inca city of Chan Chan, to protect the mud complex from possible rains caused by a rise in ocean temperatures.

There are signs of an El Niño or Southern Oscillation, and rains could increase in northern Peru in the next two weeks, but is a mild Niño this year, according to the U.S. oceanic and atmospheric administration, NOAA.

In Lima, temperatures rose to a historic 30º Celsius last weekend, dropping to 28º and 29º this week, with a humidity factor of 90% on Wednesday, dropping to 70% by Friday.

Also in Lima, the Rimac and Chillon rivers have risen heavily due to the rains in the highlands, with the Rimac carrying close to 50% more than its usual flow.

Correction: Lima temperatures were first mistakenly reported in this story as close to 23.4º C this week. 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*