12:20 | Ica (Ica region), Feb. 13.
A large number of homes, hospitals, healthcare centers, schools, police stations, markets, and commercial establishments —along with the collapse of the sewage system— were among the most affected by the torrential rain recorded in the city of Ica on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 12.
In response to this emergency, the Ica Regional Civil Defense Platform held an extraordinary session last night and declared itself in permanent session to provide assistance to the districts most affected by the heavy rainfall.
At said meeting, it was confirmed that the torrential rain, which lasted nearly four hours, caused significant damage to hospitals, health centers, police stations, educational institutions, homes, commercial premises, and agricultural areas.
The assessment of the damage has not yet been completed, as National Civil Defense Institute (Indeci) teams are in the emergency zones to verify the extent of the damage.
The heavy rain flooded homes, commercial establishments, and several streets in the city of Ica, making both vehicular and pedestrian traffic difficult.
One of the most affected locations was the Regional Hospital of Ica, where the Intensive Care Unit collapsed due to rainwater infiltration.
In response, Regional Health Directorate (Diresa) of Ica's Deputy Director, Martin Tito Paucar, inspected the damage caused by the torrential rain at both the Regional Hospital and the Santa María del Socorro Hospital.
"As soon as the natural phenomenon began, we rushed to the main hospital in Ica, the Regional Hospital, to assess the impact of the intense rains. Unfortunately, we witnessed a complete service collapse, forcing us to cut the power supply due to water entering various areas," he stated.
Regarding the Socorro Hospital, he confirmed that it had also collapsed due to the large amount of water that infiltrated multiple rooms and services, disrupting normal operations.
Due to the heavy rainfall —accumulating 14 mm per day— the city's drainage system was overwhelmed, severely affecting establishments such as Plaza del Sol Shopping Center, Mega Plaza, and other local businesses.
Throughout the night and early morning, crews from the Provincial Municipality of Ica worked to drain the accumulated water using motorized pumps.
As of now, vehicle traffic remains restricted in the areas of Los Aquijes, Los Molinos, and Ocucaje due to large puddles of water. Other sectors are facing power outages as well.
The Ica Civil Defense Platform also assessed emergency situations in other parts of the region affected by landslides, river overflows, and the reactivations of ravines due to intense rainfall.
Authorities have called on residents to stay informed through official channels and follow the recommendations of local authorities.
(END) GBL/MAO/JMP/MVB
Published: 2/13/2025