Flood Damage in Cusco

On Tuesday 2nd February we met Nelly Munoz to travel to her district to see the damage caused by the river breaking its bank on Sunday 24th January.

We walked down the first street which was still damp and sodden with mud. A few people were attempting to remove parts of the homes that had fallen down and picking through the remains of the houses. We asked to take photos and explained that this was necessary in order to raise awareness with our friends and contacts in the UK and around the world. At first the people were reluctant, unsure whether we were genuinely there to help. Nelly explained that tragically there had been few opportunist individuals that had looted what was left of the people's possessions in the neighbourhood.

We then walked down another street where the effects of the flooding were quite apparent. The walls around the buildings showed watermarks up to two feet and there was evidence of the walls cracking due to damp conditions. A woman came to greet us, Victoria, who was kind enough to show us how the flood had affected her home. Her modest home was completely damp and uninhabitable. The floors were covered in mud and the walls again showed evidence of cracking. Victoria told us that she and her husband and their 3 children were living in a nearby school which was currently under construction.

Before visiting the school we stopped by Nelly's own house, again, we could see how the flood had affected the walls and structure of the building. There was concern that the structural integrity of the buildings affected by the flooding had been compromised and that further homes may be at risk of collapse. We then moved on to the school to see where the people who had been displaced were living. The entrance to the school was via a plank of wood placed over a small stream of filthy water. We walked into the main school yard where workmen were working on completing the schools construction. Victoria had decided to accompany us and she introduced us to her children and the children of her neighbours.

Victoria then took us to her temporary accommodation. A classroom which could accommodate around 25 children which was currently occupied by 5 families. Victoria and her neighbours had saved a few possessions and there was a small camping size stove for cooking. We were also taken around a few further classrooms where other families were living. Although we could not identify precise numbers we could see that most of the classrooms were occupied. Sanitation appear scant. We could not see any showers or places set up for bathing and washing, in fact we could only see two portaloos, clearly insufficient for the number of families and small children occupying the space. Nelly then explained to us that the families would only be able to stay until March as the school would be opening. We asked what would happen then but no-one seemed to know.

The Peruvian government and regional government have promised aid to the people affected by the flooding however our visit took place over a week after the flood and we could not see any aid that had been providing. Noone save a few of the residents were attempting to clean up the area and no tents, blankets or places to get fresh water could be seen. If aid has been promised it appears that it has not reached this area, one of the poorer areas of the city of Cusco.

MySmallHelp want to support the people of Cusco as well as that of the Sacred valley. Not only is money needed for providing immediate aid in the form of sanitation, fresh water and cooking equipment but also in the longer term money is needed to help rebuild the homes and strengthen the structures those that have been affected in order to offer the people like Victoria, a safe and clean space in which to raise their family.

Please help in any way you can...