Rains leave trail of death and destruction in Peru

disasters in Peru will cause losses of between $150 million and $500 million, which is likely to have a negative impact on national growth rate this year.

El Nino has led to the rise of the surface temperature of the Pacific by 5 C to an average of 20 C, according to scientists.

This has heated up water to abnormal levels, triggering torrential rains and landslides.

The heavy rainfall has forced the government to issue a series of yellow and red alerts for various major rivers.

Some 10 million people living in Lima have been suffering from restrictions or cuts on their drinking water supplies since Wednesday as intense rainfall has affected the city’s La Atarjea water treatment plant.

Sedapal, Lima’s drinking water utility, has been overwhelmed by the high turbidity of the water in the Rimac river.

The water turbidity in the river is usually 10,000 Nephelometric Turbidity Units, which is relatively clear, but now the figure has shot up to 98,000 NTU after the rains.

Forecasters expect the rainfall to continue into April.

GUADALUPE PARDO / REUTERS A woman is assisted while crossing a flooded street after the Huaycoloro River burst its banks sending torrents of mud and water rushing through the streets in Huachipa, Peru, on Friday.