Mudflow Gushes Through Peruvian Village Following Heavy Rain

Drone footage showed a mudflow gushing through the coastal village of Punta Hermosa, south of Peru’s capital, on Tuesday, March 14, a day before a state of emergency was declared in multiple districts of Lima due to heavy rainfall and flooding.

Footage by Lima-based photographer Renzo Melgarejo Matias shows the river of mud flowing toward the sea.

According to Peruvian outlet RPP, Tuesday’s mudflow, or huaico, as they are known locally, was one of two to hit Punta Hermosa within days. A second mudflow, on Wednesday, impacted 5,000 households.

Peru has experienced months of heavy rain since January, followed by Cyclone Yaku, which formed off the coast in early March. Credit: Renzo Melgarejo Matias via Storyful