Experts say a global El Niño could spell trouble for Peru’s large-scale anchovy fishing fleet but not necessarily for operators of artisanal vessels such as these, which catch a variety of fish species. (Photo by Barbara Fraser)
Flooding and landslides caused by unusual heavy rains on Peru’s desert coast since February have killed nearly 50 people and left at least eight more missing. No official damage figures have been released, but unofficial estimates exceed US$300 million. Images of streets filling with water and water rushing down usually dry ravines highlighted Peru’s lack of preparation, despite government vows to boost readiness after similar flooding in 2017.
The rain was caused by warmer sea surface temperatures and a particularly strong occurrence of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), a band of wind, clouds and rain that moves eastward along the equator, according to Azhar Ehsan of Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society. The higher sea surface temperatures led Peru to declare a localized “coastal El Niño” that is similar to an event that caused extensive flooding and damage in 2017, leaving 97 people dead. (See
