Andina

Peru: Defense Minister visits heavy rain-prone areas in Cajamarca region

15:38 | Cajamarca (Cajamarca region), Jan. 9.

Peru's Defense Minister Walter Martos supervises —along with regional and local authorities— the works carried out to counteract the heavy rainy season in the Andean region of Cajamarca.

The minister arrived joined by heads of the National Civil Defense Institute (Indeci), Jorge Chavez; the National Center for Estimation, Prevention and Disaster Risk Reduction (Cenepred), Juvenal Medina; and the Space Agency of Peru, Javier Tuesta.

As part of his visit, Martos met with Cajamarca Region Governor Mesias Guevara, as well as with district and provincial mayors, and members of the Regional Platform of Civil Defense at the Cajamarca Regional Government headquarters.

During the gathering, Martos stressed the willingness of regional, provincial, and district authorities to dialogue. Moreover, he pledged to meet their needs and guaranteed his support in the event of emergencies.

Accordingly, he reported that they can access the Fund to Intervene at the Time of Natural Disasters (Fondes), which has an annual budget of S/300 million (around US$90.36 million) to finance public investment projects for mitigation, response capacity, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in the event of natural disasters. 

"I have come together with heads of Indeci, Cenepred, and Conida —the institutions that manage disaster risk. I am here to help the region of Cajamarca in disaster management or in any action you want to perform at the national government level," the government official said.

"The Defense Ministry's doors are open for you. My heart is in Cajamarca, with you and at your service," he added.

For his part, Governor Guevara welcomed the visit of the minister and called on municipal and provincial mayors under his jurisdiction to use the 068 budget allocation in order to carry out articulated and coordinated work with districts, provinces, regions, and national defense agencies.

(END) NDP/TMC/MAO/RMB/MVB

Published: 1/9/2020