Peru under state of emergency after El Niño floods hit Arequipa

Euronews · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Updated: 26/02/2026 - 19:47 GMT+1 Flooding tied to El Niño Costero devastates Peru, killing dozens and damaging hundreds of kilometres of roads as a nationwide emergency speeds relief. Peru is dealing with widespread flooding after heavy rains hit the southern city of Arequipa and several other regions, prompting authorities to declare a nationwide state of emergency. Residents and members of the Peruvian Navy cleared mud and debris from streets as interim president José María Balcázar visited affected areas to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts. The decree places more than 700 districts under emergency measures to speed up funding for damaged roads, bridges and basic services. Officials say nearly 931 kilometres of roads have been affected, disrupting transport for hundreds of thousands of people. Since December, at least 68 deaths have been linked to floods and landslides. Authorities connect the extreme rainfall to the El Niño Costero phenomenon, driven by warmer Pacific waters that increase evaporation and river levels.