One person has died and another five have been injured, three of them seriously, following a landslide in Chanchamayo Province, Peru. The incident happened in the Perené District on the evening of Friday 25 October 2019, following several hours of heavy rain in the area. Landslides are a common problem after severe weather events, as excess
pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments,
allowing them to flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all landslides
are caused by heavy rainfall. In addition to the casualties caused by the incident, about 30 people have been evacuated from homes in the area as a precaution.
Cleanup operations following a landslide in Chanchamayo Province, Peru, on 25 October 2019. Mindef Peru/Twitter.
Landslips are a common problem in the Peruvian Andes during the rainy season, which lasts from September till May, with peak rainfall between January and
March. The climate is highly variable across this region, with some
areas receiving in excess of 10 000 mm of rainfall per year.
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