During the month of March, 2017, Peru suffered unprecedented flooding. This was caused by exceptionally warm water in the Pacific Ocean which led to torrential rain along the South American west coast. At the height of the floods at the end of March, several Columbans working in Peru sent in the following report.
The floods in Peru are flash floods. With the lashing downpours seen in recent weeks, dry river beds have become torrential rivers of water mixed with soil and rocks and whatever else they bring with it.
Three of the Dioceses in which Columbans work have been affected: Carabayllo, Chosica and Chimbote. Columban Fr Kevin McDonagh who works in Samanco, in Chimbote, is cut off from the outside world. The population here is without clean water. The situation is getting precarious for the people in and around this fishing and agricultural town and indeed the whole Chimbote area in the north of the country.
Everywhere the flooding with muddy water has caused havoc with 100,000 houses destroyed or unusable, so far the death toll is 75 in accidents related to the disaster. Many of the communities where our local Peruvian lay missionaries have ministered and accompanied people over the past 15 years are badly hit. Jimbe and the higher districts leading to the Andes, where an international group, including two Fijian Columban Lay Missionaries, has been working, are still cut off due to landslides.
Columban Fr Ed O’Connell reports that on Sunday his parish in Lima took up collections, ‘taking in three times the usual offering, and clothes, clean water and food stocks to be taken later in the week to affected areas’. He added that teams of youth from the 12 communities in the parish are preparing to visit disrupted communities, coordinating with the parishes there, to help clean up or do preventative work in building up dams, as the emergency is not over yet.
Columban Fr Bernard Lane reports that schools, universities and other institutes have been closed for the time being. He reflects: ‘The social-political-economic cost will be high, plus there is the whole question of climate-change which is ignored by so many still. Also there is the irresponsibility of so many authorities in terms of prevention and preparation for such natural disasters. Flooding and landslides occur most years but the extent of this current natural phenomenon is hard to believe … In all my 32 years in Peru, this is the most devastating disaster we have seen.’
It is still raining in the mountains and further flooding is expected well into April. The challenges ahead are enormous in terms of getting through the disaster and reconstruction. There is little bottled water available, but fortunately there is water flowing again in Lima though with low pressure.
Fr Bernard Lane reflects: ‘It is worrying to think of so many people without clean water especially in the provincial areas. The question is how much more can the people take. Their response and solidarity so far has been nothing short of heroic.
Even in the midst of all the suffering, we are seeing Peru and Peruvians at their very best. It is inspiring and heart-breaking all at once. Please, we are asking for prayers and positive thoughts in solidarity with the people of Peru in these times of suffering, especially those most directly affected.’
Ellen Teague is the Media Coordinator for the Columbans in Britain.
Related Links
- Read more from The Far East - May 2017
