Prevention and awareness of the recent landslides and floods on the National Day of Solidarity and Reflection on Disaster Prevention
May 31 is the commemoration of the victims as a result of natural disasters that occurred in our country, such as earthquakes, droughts, frosts, mudslides and floods. Therefore, I would like to share some important data for the prevention of the last two mentioned disasters:
• It is important to carry out studies not only of engineering, but of urban and rural development, including the social aspect, that is, comprehensive studies, in sections of rivers and riparian plains vulnerable to flooding, in order to assess their risk, to determine their attention priority and viable solution to mitigate the impact.
• With the knowledge of the risk, it is possible to identify the houses and infrastructures that may be affected by the passage or spillage of the extraordinary liquid and detrital flow.
• Part of the action plans should be the relocation of homes to safe areas, but also discourage, discourage or prevent future urban occupation of highly vulnerable areas.
• The population should be made aware of the risk of living near a water course or a dry channel that will be activated, so that they are part of the change for a safer life, giving them clear knowledge that the savings from a cheap settlement but precarious they will be devastated by a future event.
• It must be borne in mind that according to climate change predictions, these adverse situations are going to worsen in intensity and frequency.
With awareness, planning and solidarity, let's transform adversities into opportunities for growth. United, we can forge a world that is safer and more prepared for any onslaught of nature.
Peru is affected by meteorological phenomena (El Niño, intense Andean rainfall) that generate floods and landslides, causing great destruction, loss of life, and prolonged situations against public health, in vulnerable areas due to proximity to riverbeds, areas with no drainage outlet natural, high slopes of the land, unfavorable geological constitution, which occur with a frequency capable of occurring repeatedly in a person’s life. That is why we must make the population aware of the specific risks to which they are exposed, and among them the implications that can be aggravated by settling in homes near riverbeds.
