Lima: Peru has declared a 60-day state of emergency across 893 districts in 22 regions and the Constitutional Province of Callao due to the threat of intense rainfall associated with El Nino, as reported by local media on Tuesday. The Supreme Decree No. 124-2026-PCM, which initiated this measure, was published in the official government gazette El Peruano.

According to Anadolu Agency, the districts affected span regions including La Libertad, Lambayeque, Piura, Tumbes, Lima, and Ica. The decree is supported by technical evaluations from Peru's National Meteorology and Hydrology Service, National Center for Disaster Risk Estimation, Prevention and Reduction, National Civil Defense Institute, and the commission studying El Nino.

Authorities have expressed concerns that ongoing Coastal El Nino conditions, along with the development of El Nino in the central equatorial Pacific, might lead to severe rainfall. The emergency status enables regional and local governments to enact immediate actions to mitigate risks, as well as to engage in response and rehabilitation during the designated 60-day period.

The National Civil Defense Institute will oversee and coordinate these efforts with involvement from regional and local authorities and various government ministries. The financial resources for these measures will be sourced from the existing budgets of the involved entities, thus not necessitating additional funds from the national Treasury, as per the decree.

Last week, authorities cautioned that El Nino could endanger approximately 1.2 million people, especially in regions prone to flooding and landslides. Northern agricultural areas are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of this climatic phenomenon. El Nino is characterized by the unusual warming of Pacific Ocean waters, capable of triggering heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of Peru.