The European Commission has approved humanitarian aid worth 2 million Euros ($2.64 million) for residents in Peru’s southern Cuzco and Puno departments who were affected by floods and mudslides caused by heavy rains since last December, state news agency Andina reported.
The funds will be distributed through the European Commission Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) department and is expected to benefit more than 60,000 people who were affected by the torrential rainfalls.
The humanitarian assistance will be used to construct temporary housing and provide materials to repair homes. It will also be used to assist in recuperating agriculture sectors damaged by the rains, repairing water and sewage systems, as well as improving activities for the coordination and preparation of disasters.
The operations will be managed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), non-profit organizations Welthungerhilfe of Germany and Italy’s COOPI.
Heavy rains since last December effected 11 departments, particularly the southern Andean regions of Ayacucho, Apurimac, Cuzco, Huancavelica and Puno.
Authorities have said the rains were the most damaging in 15 years. Floods and mudslides caused by the downpours washed away roads and rail lines – including much of the track leading to the sacred Inca citadel Machu Picchu – and more than 55,000 hectares of agriculture land in Cuzco and Puno.
