Flooding In Peru

This has been an unusual year of weather in Peru. Preparations were made last year for an el nino weather system,  with children attending school double time even on Sunday,  to be ahead against possible school closures,  which didn't materialize until this month.

  The weather they had been anticipating arrived with much rain in the Sierra(Andea mountains),   and then 2 weeks ago rain started falling in the coast(desert)where we live.     Rivers burst from their boundaries, dams and bridges broke. River  water mixed with the soil and sand of the area and  flowed as mud rivers into towns and cities.  People and animals lost lives, and many homes were lost, particularly those who built along the riverbanks.   A river of mud made its way through Trujillo Central square, Plaza del Armas , and made its way toward the Ocean.   In the suburb of Buenos Aires,  a 15 foot high rock wall had been built to hold the Ocean waters back from homes built too close to the shore,  but now that same wall held the muddy river back from emptying into the Ocean, backing up further into side streets and  impacting more homes.    

  Pete and I have been to help shovel out heavy mud. Adobe mud brick walls are fine as long as they stay dry. But they are no protection from heavy wet mud. Roofs and walls come tumbling down. Many people were able to sand bag entrances and the mud would flow by, especially if the mud was against a concrete wall, but others sustained much damage.  We have worked along side the youth to help remove mud and debris,  then the next day realizing  our bodies were not so youthful anymore,  take a break and return another day  to help.  

   We have not taken pictures of homes , out of respect for owners.   I have included a few pictures of muddy streets, with piles of mud pushed up by front end loaders, the remains of the mud rivers,  and a few pictures of our trip south with missionary friends, to help them retrieve clothes and other belongings from their apartment. They were out of the area when the floodwaters broke the main bridge over the Pan American highway, to the south of Trujillo.    With the highway and bridges also out north of Trujillo,  we were left in a food vacuum.  Food disappeared from store shelves.  Only condiments and frivolous food remained on the shelves of the food store close to us,   though the mercado( farm market), stocked by local farmers remained in full business, though food prices were rising.  Fortunately , temporary repairs have been made to highways and temporary bridges, and sufficient food is finally  arriving to feed this city of 700,000.

Debbie/Mom