Peru ready for 'effective and timely' El Niño response, says Defense Minister

Peru's Defense Minister Amadeo Flores has guaranteed the nation's preparedness for a major El Niño event, stressing the importance of effective and timely responses. "We have to be prepared for the worst, but not present ourselves in a situation of catastrophe yet. Decisions must be made in advance and preventive action taken," Flores stated, emphasizing that all actions are based on technical information and continuous evaluation.

The ministry is bolstering its emergency response capabilities through humanitarian aid, logistical deployments, and preventive measures coordinated with regional and local governments. The National Civil Defense Institute (Indeci) is actively checking strategic supply warehouses to ensure sufficient emergency aid for the population. Currently, thousands of tons of emergency supplies are available across Indeci and regional government stores.

Engineering battalions from the Army are supporting prevention efforts, working alongside regional and local authorities. Flores urged these local governments to prioritize disaster risk management resources to strengthen preventive actions and mitigate El Niño's impact on the population and infrastructure. Meanwhile, Peru's National Study of the El Niño Phenomenon (Enfen) commission has not ruled out an "extraordinary magnitude" El Niño Costero event, potentially extending to April 2027, with a "very strong" phase anticipated in November and December 2026.

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We have to be prepared for the worst, but not present ourselves yet in a situation of catastrophe. Decisions must be made in advance and preventive action taken.