Peru declares state of emergency in 796 districts as El Niño rains threaten 9.3 million people

Peru's government declared a 60-day state of emergency in 796 districts on Thursday, citing an "imminent danger" of heavy rains linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon. The decree, published in the official gazette, covers roughly 40% of the country's 1,800 districts and enables extraordinary measures to protect the population.

Scale of the risk

More than 9.3 million Peruvians are exposed to a very high level of risk from floods and landslides, according to the National Center for Estimation, Prevention and Reduction of Disaster Risk (Cenepred). The government decree states that the districts face a "very high" risk and that urgent actions are needed as El Niño's impact intensifies. Heavy rains have been falling across Peru practically since the start of the year, triggering dangerous mudslides in February and March.

We have declared a state of emergency for 60 days in 796 communes facing the expected heavy rains associated with the El Niño phenomenon.

El Niño intensity raised

The Peruvian agency monitoring El Niño recently raised the expected intensity of the phenomenon from moderate to strong. Sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific were particularly high in June, with the marine band off Peru reaching up to 26 degrees Celsius, five degrees above the seasonal average, according to the European Copernicus Marine service. Experts warn that El Niño could become one of the most intense on record by the end of the year.

Historical toll and response

In 2023, floods and landslides amplified by El Niño caused 99 deaths in Peru. The current emergency declaration allows regional and local authorities, in coordination with Civil Defense and with state support, to implement exceptional measures to protect both people and infrastructure. The decree enables the government to carry out extraordinary actions to reduce the risk in the affected districts.

urgent actions are needed

Climate context

El Niño is a natural climate pattern that occurs every few years when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific rise above average, disrupting global weather patterns. The phenomenon can trigger droughts, floods, and heatwaves from the Americas to Southeast Asia and Africa. The current event is expected to persist and intensify through the end of 2026.