The death toll in Peru has recently risen as heavy rains, powered by El Niño, have caused rivers to overflow and mudslides to destroy roads and farms.  The flooding is the worst the country has seen in over two decades.

Seventy-two fatalities have been reported while over 70,000 have become homeless during the rainy season.  Flooding and mudslides have been reported in 24 out of 25 regions in Peru, according to Humanity Road.

“It’s quite ironic how in the USA we are struggling because of the scarcity water, while in Peru there are people dying because of the unstoppable floods,” junior Camila Blanco said

Peru’s rainy season began in early March and is estimated to last, at most, another month. The rain has had detrimental impacts on many cities, leaving them in a state of emergency. In Lima alone, over half a million people have been affected.

One dramatic video showed Evangelina Chamorro’s escape in Punta Hermosa. She was trapped in debris and survived by holding onto tree branches and pieces of wood.  Various rescue crews are being sent to search for those in need of help, while inhabitants are already beginning to repair what has been ruined.

Jorge Chavez, a general tasked with coordinating the government’s response, commented on Peru’s plans to take precautions and make changes to its infrastructure to prepare for the “topicalization” that occours on the Northern Desert Coast. “We need more and better bridges, we need highways and cities with drainage systems. We can’t count on nature being predictable,” Chavez stated at a press conference earlier this week.

Although rainy season conditions may continue to last for as long as a month, the Peruvian government has thought about taking the precautions to prevent future damage.