News
25 Jan 2024
El Niño phenomenon: five recommendations to keep you safe
Peru faces a double climate threat: El Niño Global and El Niño Coastal, these climatological phenomena could lead to significant consequences for the Peruvian population and the national economy. In this regard, the Multisectoral Commission for the National Study of the El Niño Phenomenon (Enfen) issued last Friday, January 12, the first report of this 2024 regarding the climatic conditions for this season. According to Enfen experts, the state of "Coastal El Niño Alert" will not only be maintained, but will be longer, as well as the forecasts of international climate models to date.
"Faced with the imminent arrival of these extreme weather conditions, the only way to reduce the impact of natural disasters is prevention. It is essential to take the necessary measures to reduce risks and vulnerabilities, in addition to having contingency plans to protect the lives of people and their assets," says Juan Pablo Inga, Celepsa's Assistant Manager of Industrial Safety.
In addition, it provides 5 very important recommendations that will help the population to stay safe during the El Niño Phenomenon.
- Pay attention to weather alerts and messages from your community: Keep informed of official news published by the Emergency Operations Centers, Disaster Risk Management Offices, Civil Defense or technical-scientific institutions such as the National Meteorological and Hydrology Service (Senamhi) and mass broadcast and open signal news radio stations. It is also important to emphasize that the warning messages that may be issued in your community are also important.
- Reinforce the structure of your home: Reinforce the roofs and cover those areas where rainwater may enter. If the roof of your house is made of mats, protect it and give it a slope to facilitate the evacuation of water. Regarding the roof of your house, protect the roof with a layer of concrete or a layer of plastic, with a slope towards the water drainage duct.
- Participate in community tasks: Organize with the housing association or community premises and participate in community tasks to reduce the risk of flooding in your locality and thus prepare for the possibility of an eventual occurrence; you can, for example: place sandbags, clean drains or canals and gutters, clean up clearing or garbage, among others.
- Prepare a Family Emergency Plan: Put together your survival kit, including a backpack for emergencies and a reserve box. Do not forget to include masks and alcohol gel, remember that food is scarce in the event of landslides and heavy rains.
- Evacuate in time: If you live in a high-risk area, you should identify safe areas and evacuation routes.In the event of an alert from the authorities, do not forget to evacuate immediately to safe areas through the evacuation routes with your emergency backpack. Find out which are the most vulnerable areas in your community by accessing the INDECI website or ask in your community. Remember that you should not live in areas exposed to floods, landslides or landslides.