Peru Declares 60-Day State of Emergency in 1380 Districts Over El Nino Rain Risks

Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency on Tuesday in 1,380 districts over the risk of heavy rainfall associated with the El Niño weather pattern. The decree, published in the official gazette El Peruano, covers districts in all 24 departments and the Constitutional Province of Callao, representing more than 70 percent of the country's 1,891 districts.

President Keiko Fujimori signed the measure after an October 30 assessment by the National Institute of Civil Defense identified the listed districts as facing particularly high risks. Regional and local governments will coordinate emergency actions with Indeci and relevant ministries. The actions include immediate risk-reduction steps, emergency response and rehabilitation work to protect vulnerable communities.

Early November rains have already produced effects. In Tumbes, 324 people were reported affected. Flooding has also occurred in Piura, including the district of Chulucanas, where Pope Leo XIV lived as a missionary in 1985. Leo is scheduled to visit Peru from November 11 to 17 as part of his South America tour. Some planned stops fall within the emergency zone.

Fujimori canceled a trip to the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid to oversee the response. She warned that additional rain could affect Tumbes and Piura on November 7 and 8. Historical El Niño events in 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 produced severe flooding along Peru's northern coast. Lambayeque and other northern departments have experienced repeated damage in past episodes.

The emergency declaration gives authorities broader latitude to mobilize resources and to restrict certain activities if needed. It does not automatically suspend all normal operations but prioritizes civil-defense coordination. Indeci will provide technical support and oversight. The 60-day period can be extended if conditions warrant.

Coastal and Andean districts face different risks. Northern coastal areas are most exposed to intense rainfall and river flooding. Higher-elevation districts can experience landslides and disruption of roads. The decree lists districts across Amazonas, Ancash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martín, Tacna, Tumbes and Ucayali.

The timing overlaps with Pope Leo's visit. Organizers have not publicly altered the itinerary in response to the emergency. The Vatican has stated that the pope's recovery from lung surgery is complete and that the full schedule will proceed. Local authorities in affected areas will need to balance security and logistics for large public events with ongoing flood-response work.

Peru's northern coast has limited drainage infrastructure in many districts. Heavy rain quickly overwhelms streets and low-lying neighborhoods. Past El Niño events destroyed bridges, isolated communities and damaged agricultural land. The current declaration aims to preposition supplies and to accelerate repairs before the heaviest rainfall arrives.

Fujimori's decision to remain in the country rather than attend the Madrid summit underscores the priority given to the weather threat. Regional governments have begun coordinating with Indeci on evacuation plans and temporary shelters. The 1,380 districts represent the largest such emergency declaration in recent years for a climate-related risk.

The decree does not specify a dollar amount for response funding. Resources will be drawn from existing civil-defense budgets and any supplementary allocations the executive can authorize under emergency powers. International partners have not yet announced additional aid tied to the declaration.

Chulucanas, the district where Leo lived in 1985, has already seen flooding. The pope's itinerary includes northern Peruvian cities. Local officials will manage both the weather response and the logistics of the papal visit in the same period. The 60-day window extends well beyond the pope's November 17 departure, allowing continued work after the tour ends.

El Niño conditions are expected to produce above-average rainfall across much of northern Peru through the coming months. The emergency status allows faster procurement and deployment of equipment. It also authorizes temporary restrictions on activities that could increase risk, such as certain construction or public gatherings in flood-prone zones, although no such restrictions have been announced yet.