13:30 | Nasca (Ica region), Feb. 13.
Nasca province is among the hardest-hit areas due the heavy rains that have been affecting Ica region in recent days. The intense rainfall has triggered landslides and reactivated ravines, leaving dozens of residents displaced and affected in Vista Alegre district.
The scene in Vista Alegre is devastating, especially in the town of Cajuca, where heavy rains on February 11 and 12 activated a ravine, causing landslides that carried tons of mud and water, flooding homes in the area.
"The landslide on Tuesday lasted from 3:00 p.m. to around 7:00 p.m. after two hours of rain. It entered my home, damaging my appliances and other belongings. I lost everything (…) I only have the clothes I am wearing," Edson Ticona Calderon told Andina News Agency.
Houses built with plywood were the most affected by the mass of mud and water. Since the early hours of the morning, Cajuca residents have been using buckets to remove stagnant water from their roofs.
In the Calera sector, the force of the water eroded adobe walls and entered dozens of homes, rendering them uninhabitable.
Displaced residents have called on the government to send heavy machinery to redirect the landslides and prevent further damage in case of another ravine reactivation.
"After the torrential rain on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 12, another landslide hit around 4:00 p.m. and entered my restaurant. With the help of buckets, I managed to remove the mud," said Melissa Mendoza Collao, a resident of La Primavera sector.
Dozens of locals in this area were also affected by the natural disaster. They are requesting tents, non-perishable food, and drinking water from the authorities.
"We are protecting our homes with sandbags that we placed with the help of our families to prevent another landslide from affecting us," one resident added.
Landslides on Panamericana Sur Highway
On the night of Wednesday, February 12, landslides at various points along the Panamericana Sur Highway (from kilometer 338 to kilometer 418) restricted vehicular traffic for several hours, leaving dozens of vehicles stranded.
Personnel from the State-run Special National Transportation Infrastructure Project (Provias) are working to remove mud from the Panamericana Sur Highway in the district of Vista Alegre to restore smooth traffic flow in both directions.
At 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 13, vehicular traffic was restored on the Interoceanic Highway near the Buena Fe sector in the province of Nasca after being restricted for several hours due to the landslide.
(END) GBL/MAO/JMP/MVB
Published: 2/13/2025