Peru declares an El Niño emergency in nearly three-quarters of the country ahead of the Pope’s visit

Peru has declared a two-month state of emergency because heavy rains linked to El Niño could threaten communities and infrastructure. The measure enables faster prevention, emergency response, and rehabilitation before and during the expected rains.

The emergency covers 1,380 of Peru’s 1,891 districts, or about 73% of the country. It applies across all 24 departments and the province of Callao. Lambayeque is fully included, with all 38 of its districts covered.

The decision matters for Pope Leo XIV’s visit because every northern Peruvian location on his itinerary lies inside the emergency area. He will celebrate Mass in Chiclayo and Cajamarca and visit Zaña from November 13. Regional and municipal governments can coordinate measures with the National Civil Defence Institute.

El Niño is a recurring climate phenomenon in which surface waters across parts of the tropical Pacific become unusually warm. That extra ocean heat changes where air rises, where clouds form, and how winds move. The result is a major shift in weather patterns across distant regions.

For Peru, El Niño can move storm-producing conditions toward the coast and increase rainfall. The article links the current phenomenon to flooding in Tumbes and Chulucanas. It also reports that Peru’s scientific commission expects this episode to continue until June 2027.

The consequences can be severe because heavy rain overwhelms homes, roads, and drainage systems. Peru has declared an emergency in 1,380 districts and is preparing for further rain in Tumbes and Piura. El Niño’s effects are not identical everywhere: forecasts suggested lighter rain during the Pope’s visit, with heavier rain possibly arriving in Lambayeque afterward.

The potential impact is national in scale. Peru’s government included 1,380 of the country’s 1,891 districts in the emergency declaration. That equals about 73% of all districts, spanning every department and the province of Callao.

Actual flooding has already been reported in several places. Recent rains affected 324 people in Tumbes, near the Ecuadorian border, and flooded homes and streets. Flooding also occurred in Chulucanas, in Piura, where Pope Leo XIV lived during his early missionary years. In Lambayeque, all 38 districts are covered by the emergency.

These figures show both broad preparation and early local damage. The article does not give a nationwide total of people affected, so the 324-person figure applies specifically to Tumbes. In Ecuador, separate El Niño rains affected more than 2,000 people on Santa Cruz island in the Galápagos and left one person dead.

Heavy rain can quickly turn into flooding, damaging homes and streets and disrupting transport, public events, and emergency access. The risk is especially serious where drainage is incomplete or overwhelmed. It can also make large gatherings harder to manage safely.

Tumbes has already seen homes and streets flooded, with 324 people affected. Piura’s Chulucanas also experienced flooding. Chiclayo may receive rain while Pope Leo XIV is visiting, although the forecast called it unlikely to be heavy. Temperatures there could reach 32 degrees Celsius, four to five degrees above normal.

Chiclayo’s lack of a comprehensive drainage system increases concern if rainfall becomes intense. Organisers expect nearly a million people at the Mass in Pampas de Pimentel, so authorities have prepared contingency plans. The regional coordinator said heavier rains were forecast to reach Lambayeque after the Pope leaves, but conditions remain closely monitored.

Peru’s past experience shows that El Niño rainfall is not a minor or unusual threat. The country suffered severe flooding during the 1982–1983 and 1997–1998 episodes. Those events remain an important warning as authorities prepare for another potentially disruptive period.

The northern coast is particularly exposed. The article identifies Lambayeque and Chiclayo as areas affected by earlier severe flooding. It also notes that Chiclayo still lacks a comprehensive drainage system. That weakness can make intense rainfall harder to manage and increase the risk of flooded streets and homes.

The historical record explains why the government declared an emergency across most of Peru. In October, President Keiko Fujimori warned that prevention works might be insufficient for an El Niño not seen in recent decades. The scientific commission expects the current episode to last until June 2027, so preparation must continue beyond the Pope’s visit.

Responsibility is shared among several public bodies. Peru’s national government declared the emergency, while regional and municipal governments can carry out prevention, response, and rehabilitation measures with the National Civil Defence Institute. President Keiko Fujimori cancelled an overseas trip to oversee the response.

Weather officials are also central to planning. Grinia Ávalos of the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service forecast possible rain and high temperatures in Chiclayo. Jorge Chávez Cresta, the regional coordinator for the visit, said contingency plans were ready. Security preparations include about 2,500 police, 1,000 soldiers, and 6,500 volunteers.

These groups must protect residents while managing enormous crowds. Nearly a million people are expected at the Pampas de Pimentel Mass. Authorities are monitoring rainfall forecasts, preparing for possible disruption, and coordinating security and emergency arrangements across the Pope’s itinerary.

When tropical Pacific waters become unusually warm, they heat the air above them and increase evaporation. Moist air rises more strongly over the warm ocean. This alters air pressure, winds, and the position of large tropical circulation patterns. The disturbance can affect weather far from the original warm-water area.

During El Niño, the altered circulation can move rising air and storm formation toward Peru. Moisture-laden air then produces more clouds and rain along parts of the coast. If rainfall exceeds the capacity of rivers, streets, homes, and drainage systems, flooding follows. The article links the phenomenon with recent flooding in Tumbes and Chulucanas.

This mechanism helps explain why Peru is preparing across 1,380 districts. The article reports forecasts of rain in Tumbes and Piura on November 7 and 8, possible rain during the Pope’s visit, and heavier rain in Lambayeque afterward. The current episode may last until June 2027.