Here Comes the Rain Again: Flooding and Disaster Mitigation in Peru, A Case Study from the 1997-1998 El Ñino

Abstract

Peru, the country responsible for giving El Ñino its name, suffers from massive flooding, mudslides, and even avalanches as a direct result of the catastropic climatological phenomenon. While the effects of El Ñino on Peru can be simply observed by reading the international section of a newspaper every four to seven years, the depth of the impact the El Ñino makes goes much further than body counts or dollar signs. Therefore, in order to establish a deeper understanding of El Ñino's march on Peru, I present this case study examination of the 1997-1998 El Ñino, with a particular emphasis on flooding and disaster mitigation.