From 2012 Perú

Monday, April 24, 2017

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) Notification

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the damage caused by the flooding and landslides in several regions of Peru.  The State of Emergency issued by the Government of Peru remains in effect.  This Travel Alert expires on May 31, 2017.  The City of Cusco, the archaeological site of Machu Picchu and the tourist areas in the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca have not experienced flooding to date.  The coastal area south of Lima has returned to normal conditions.  Peru's Amazon Basin has received typical levels of rainfall.

A map from the Government of Peru showing the affected districts is available at http://unasolafuerza.pe/.

You are encouraged to carefully review the safety situation of your destination and modes of transportation before travel.  Visit the link above for the latest information.

Heavy rains have resulted in extensive damage to homes, water supply facilities, schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges in several regions.  The Government of Peru continues to repair roads and bridges especially along the Pan American highway and other vital access routes in the northern part of Peru.  The Government of Peru is also working to repair water supply facilities, sanitation systems, schools, and hospitals in the affected areas.  More than 1.1 million Peruvians were affected by the floods with approximately 46,000 still residing in camps and shelters and many more living with friends and family.  In northern coastal Peru, standing water has increased the number of cases of mosquito-borne illnesses such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya despite fumigation efforts.  Additionally, there has been a spike in Leptospirosis and other diarrheal diseases recently in flooded areas.  Local public health authorities warn of more cases of various diarrheal diseases and mosquito-borne viral diseases in the affected areas.  Therefore, ensuring compliance with usual guidance for safe drinking water and mosquito avoidance measures is highly recommended.  The CDC website has specific guidance on these measures.

Travel to impacted areas is likely to be delayed and may be dangerous due to bad road conditions.  If you experience issues while traveling, contact local authorities at (01-574-8000) or   iperu@promperu.gob.pe, which maintains offices in cities around the country and regularly updates information on local developments affecting travelers, including alternative methods of transit.

Listen to travel alerts and safety instructions from local authorities and avoid flooded areas.Establish a plan for maintaining contact with family and friends and keep them informed of your itinerary.

The Peruvian police report traffic on the Carretera Central is now flowing normally, with a few sections experiencing delays as road crews repair damages.  Official U.S. government travel to and along areas of the Carretera Central will only be allowed on a case-by-case basis.  Travelers, including U.S. government employees, are encouraged to confirm with hotel operators located in the coastal Departments of Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, and Tumbes that sanitation systems are operational and clean drinking water is available.  All Peace Corps volunteers who were relocated from affected regions are scheduled to return in May.  Most are expected to be able to return to serve in their sites in Piura, Lambayeque and Trujillo.

For further information:
  • See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Peru.
  • Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
  • Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
  • Contact the U.S. Embassy in Peru, located in Monterrico, a suburb of Lima, at Avenida La Encalada, Block Seventeen. You can call the Embassy at 51-1-618-2000 during business hours, 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, or dial the same number to reach a duty officer for after-hours emergencies.
  • Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Monday, April 3, 2017

Perú Flooding Latest

Dear Friends,

Many of you have been asking how we are, and how you can help, in light of the nation-wide flooding and regional states of emergency in Peru.

First. All four Mission Co-Workers and three Young Adult Volunteers are safe. We write to let you know how we are responding, and to offer the link to those who want to give.

NEWS
All but one of the 25 provinces of Peru have experienced unusual flooding. The normal occurrence of ‘huaycos’ is 60 per year. (These are the flood waters that come with little warning and a lot of destruction.) We have already had 600 huaycos this year. The historic city of Trujillo has been underwater six times in the last few weeks, as have many coastal communities, particularly in northern Peru. The flooding in Lima got everyone's attention. There are amazing videos which you can find if you Google ‘Peru Floods 2017’. Peruvians have turned out to volunteer and give.

RESPONSES
The PC(USA) signed an agreement with Red Uniendo Manos-Peru (Joining Hands-Peru) that would allow us (Rusty & Sara) to work together on a new program called PERUSA; short-term mission teams with partner organizations that belong to the Red UM. We started “official” work with the Red last week as the news was breaking about all the disasters. Disaster relief became our focus. Working with the Red staff, we have developed a way for you to give through the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance directly to the work that the PC(USA) will be participating in with our partners here in Peru. The work of the Iglesia Evangélica Peruana will be in Paramongo four hours north of Lima. The work of Paz y Esperanza will be in the valley of the Carretera Central heading east out of Lima into the mountains. There is extensive flooding and damage in that area.

GIFTS
Here is the link to make a gift: Presbyterian Mission Agency

THE TOLL
Obviously the toll of damages continues to rise as roads are reopened to rural communities and as rivers overflow their banks in new areas. The unusual rains in the coastal desert and in the jungle are expected to continue for two more weeks. But here are the stats as of today, April 1st from the National Institute of Civil Defense (Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civll - INDECI):

LIFE AND HEALTH
    • 101 people have lost their lives
    • 353 people have been injured
    • 19 people are missing
DAMAGES
    • 149,848 persons have suffered severe damages and are in need of immediate humanitarian help (los damnificados)
    • 950,498 persons have suffered minor damages, illness and are possibly in need of humanitarian help
    • 18,269 houses have collapsed
    • 16,315 houses are uninhabitable
    • 208,076 houses have suffered damage
SCHOOLS
    • 48 schools have collapsed
    • 106 schools are uninhabitable
    • 1,748 schools have suffered damage
LOCAL HEALTH POSTS
    • 13 health posts have collapsed
    • 25 health posts are uninhabitable
    • 597 health posts are damaged
HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES
    • 2,443 km of highway are destroyed
    • 5,991 km are damaged
    • 264 bridges are destroyed (both pedestrian and vehicular)
    • 418 bridges are damaged
    • 1,702 km of rural roads are destroyed
    • 10,302 km of rural roads are damaged
IRRIGATION AND CROP LOSS
    • 4,460 irrigation canals are destroyed
    • 9,224 irrigation canals are affected
    • 53,656 Hectares of crops are affected (132,582 acres)
    • 20,656 Hectares of crops are destroyed (51,040 acres)
As of today, our work will go forward with the Red UM, planning for both short-term relief and longer term recovery. We also will continue with work for all of the 2017 mission teams with the Iglesia Evangélica Peruana.

Thank you for your ongoing interest in Peru and in the work our church shares here. Please pray for the reconstruction and for the strengthening of our ability to respond to disasters.

Saludos y abrazos de Sara y Rusty
Misión Presbiteriana Mundial
Lima, Perú
Sara-Celular: 998 845 847