The Multisectoral Commission for the National Study of the El Niño Phenomenon (Enfen) in Peru changed this Friday the status of the system from “Coastal El Niño Surveillance” to “Coastal El Niño Alert”.
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Rains cause one death and material damage in Peru
According to the entity, the decision is due to the “unusual changes in the ocean-atmosphere coupling in the Niño 1+2 region, which includes the north and center of the Peruvian sea, have led to the warming expected for March probably extending until July, for the time being, with a weak magnitude”.
Likewise, the Enfen details that among the factors that contribute to the development of the meteorological phenomenon are the anomalies in the west winds on the Pacific coast, associated with the alteration of atmospheric circulation patterns.
The aforementioned is mixed with the expected arrival of a group of warm Kelvin waves between March and May, which will keep temperatures above normal values.
“Sea surface temperatures in the Niño 1+2 region could be higher than 27 and 26 degrees Celsius in March and April, respectively, reaching values between 0.4 and 1.0 degrees Celsius above their normal value, in average”, details the Enfen in its statement.
Due to this context, the precipitation forecast for the period between April and June shows that these will be above normal.
“For the remainder of March, favorable conditions are maintained for the occurrence of moderate to heavy rains on the north coast and in the northwestern highlands. For the same quarter, the maximum and minimum temperatures would remain above their normal values in the north and central coast of the country, mainly,” the text explains.
Landslides caused by rains leave dead and injured
The regional manager of National Defense of La Libertad in Lima (capital), Edwin Dávila reported that a landslide in a hunt in La Victoria has so far left four dead and 16 injured.
Dávila told local media that until now there is no record of missing persons and the deceased are registered with the National Police and the Health Network of the Quiruvilca district.
On the other hand, the first reported death due to these landslides in the Lima region was a 60-year-old man who had been declared missing last Wednesday and his body was found this Thursday.
Similarly, the victim identified as Eulogia Coronel Arellano, 63, was also reported dead after being swept away by a mudslide in sector one of Valle Sagrado, located in Jicamarca, Huarochirí region.