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Date | February 2012 – April 2012 |
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Location |
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Deaths | 7–8 |
The 2012 Loreto floods were an orange-alert weather event that affected Loreto Region, Peru that took place in the first months of 2012. February and March were the wettest months along the Peruvian Amazon. The area most affected in Loreto were villages, towns and coasts of the provincial capital, Iquitos. It was the first and strongest historical flood series in the history of Loreto, preceding the floods in 1986. [2]
Wet weather in Loreto brought downpours and much drizzle, causing damage and flooding to the Loreto Region since November 2011. The rainy weather continued into early 2012, and the water level rose in the Amazon —extensive stream that feeds most of the Loreto tributaries— to 117 m. [3] From February and March, several towns were affected (19,209–18,400 affected families), 26 000 hectares of farmland were flooded and water level reached the coastal streets of Iquitos. Other sites concerned were in the Ucayali Region. At the end of April, the water levels began to decrease. [4]
It was anticipated that the floods would increase the risk of dengue and malaria in the following dry season due to the proliferation of mosquitoes. [5]
Before the rains causes the rise in the rivers in Loreto Region in January 2012, a subtle rainy weather began in the region since September 2011. [6] In January 2012, in several cities of Perú, (e.g. Piura, Tumbes, Lambayeque, Cusco, among others) were initially affected by intense rains. [7]
The rains were increasing their strength, and became persistent downpours, which were unloaded every night. Later, on March 12, 2012, the National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology reported that the rivers Huallaga (+133.68 m), Ucayali (+132.11 m), Marañón (+122.72 m) and Amazon (+117.06 m) exceeded water levels, and declared a hydrological red alert. [8] From the February 14, 2012, The region was hit by the first serious flooding, and since then, it took emergency measures to the affected families. [9]
On March 21, 2012, the Regional Government of Loreto prepared a state of emergency in the region, when there were 40,000 flood victims. [9] [10] However, the state of emergency was finally declared until March 30, 2012, when the number of homeless rose to 100,000, a belated action that was frowned by the population. On the same date, it was reported that the Amazon River was at 1.94 meters from its normal level. [11]
In Iquitos, Nanay and Itaya rivers were the cause of flooding. The areas most affected were the rural communities of Belén District, neighborhood and Bellavista-Nanay. Also, main roads such as Prolongation Putumayo and La Marina Avenue were affected. [2]
"The trend is that it continues to grow. There is a warning of rain across the southern mountains and the waters that accumulate will come indirectly to the Amazon. The river may grow to the third week of April."
—said Marco Paredes, regional head of Senamhi.
Until the first week of April, the water level rose 118.62 meters, surpassing its previous peak flood that occurred in 1986 (118.58 m), and approaching a dangerous 119 meters. Due to the Amazon River is fed by the southern region of Arequipa —born specifically on the slopes of Nevado Mismi, the Peruvian Andes is the area affected by rains. [12] Marco Paredes, regional head of Senamhi, stated that erratic rains had begun after that the La Niña of 2011 will impact climate in the sierra. [12]
The weather event is leaving 200.000 victims to date. [13] In the Punchana District in Iquitos, the flood reached the cemetery the Immaculate, which could cause water pollution from the bodies. Due to the proximity, the neighbors may get diseases. [11]
Faced with an alarming and steady growth, [12] electricity was cut off to prevent hazardous short. [14] Also reported the apparition of strange aquatic animals that threatens the lives of those affected. [15]
Iquitos is the capital city of Peru's Maynas Province and Loreto Region. It is the largest metropolis in the Peruvian Amazon, east of the Andes, as well as the ninth-most populous city in Peru. Iquitos is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by road that is not on an island; it is only accessible by river and air.
Loreto is Peru's northernmost department and region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest department, slightly larger than Japan; it is also one of the most sparsely populated regions due to its remote location in the Amazon Rainforest. Its capital is Iquitos.
Maynas is one of the eight provinces in the Loreto Region in northeastern Peru. Its capital, Iquitos, is also Loreto's regional capital and the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.
The Matsés or Mayoruna are an indigenous people of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon. Their traditional homelands are located between the Javari and Galvez rivers. The Matsés have long guarded their lands from other indigenous tribes and struggle with encroachment from illegal logging practices and poaching.
Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve is a protected area in Peru located southwest of Iquitos in the region of Loreto. It was established in 2004 to protect the diverse forest types in the area, especially the rainforests on white sandy soil and watercourses which provide drinking water to the city of Iquitos.
Tropical Storm Arlene, the first named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, brought blustery conditions to much of eastern Mexico in late June to early July 2011. Arlene originated from an Atlantic tropical wave, which crossed the Yucatán Peninsula before emerging over warm waters in the Bay of Campeche. Despite moderate wind shear, the disturbance strengthened and developed a surface circulation, prompting the National Hurricane Center to declare it a tropical storm on June 28. Arlene remained vigorous for most of its existence; the storm peaked in intensity with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) on June 30, just before making landfall on the coast of Veracruz. Crossing the mountains of eastern Mexico, Arlene weakened to a depression before dissipating early on July 1.
The cinema of Iquitos, also known as Amazonian cinema, is an important film development and one of the historic pioneering event of cinema of Peru. Due to the rubber boom and the arrival of foreigners, film interest began in the early 20th century, along with the evolution of cinema of the United States in Hollywood. Cinema in Iquitos had no established date of origin. The first film, however, was made in 1900. The first films were shown in the Casa de Fierro with an Edison machine, which reproduced the images using a carbide lamp and the constant movement of the operator. Iquitos is mentioned as a metonym of cinema in the Peruvian Amazon.
The Brasilia Presidential Act, also known as the Fujimori–Mahuad Treaty, is an international treaty signed in Brasilia by the then President of Ecuador, Jamil Mahuad and then President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, which effectively put an end to the Ecuadorian–Peruvian territorial dispute.
Hurricane Manuel brought widespread flooding across much of Mexico in September 2013, in conjunction with Hurricane Ingrid. The fifteenth named storm and seventh hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Manuel originated from a strong area of low pressure south of Acapulco on September 13. Within favorable conditions aloft, the storm intensified into a tropical storm as it tracked northward. The following day, Manuel curved westward and strengthened to a point just shy of hurricane intensity before making its first landfall at that intensity on September 15. Due to interaction with land, the tropical storm quickly weakened, and its center dissipated over western Mexico on September 16. However, the storm's remnants continued to track northwestward into the Gulf of California, where they reorganized into a tropical cyclone the next day. Manuel regained tropical storm status on September 18 as it began to curve northeastward. Shortly thereafter, Manuel attained Category 1 hurricane intensity, before making its final landfall just west of Culiacán at peak intensity. Over land, Manuel quickly weakened due to interaction with Mexico's high terrain, and the storm dissipated early on September 20.
The Itaya River is a tributary of the Amazon River via the Nanay River in northern Peru. The Itaya flows alongside the city of Iquitos and the district of Belén.
Hurricane Patricia was the strongest tropical cyclone on record worldwide in terms of wind speed and the second-most intense on record worldwide in terms of pressure, behind Typhoon Tip of 870 mbar in 1979, with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 872 mbar. Originating from a sprawling disturbance near the Gulf of Tehuantepec, south of Mexico, in mid-October 2015, Patricia was first classified a tropical depression on October 20. Initial development was slow, with only modest strengthening within the first day of its classification. The system later became a tropical storm and was named Patricia, the twenty-fourth named storm of the annual hurricane season. Exceptionally favorable environmental conditions fueled explosive intensification on October 22. A well-defined eye developed within an intense central dense overcast and Patricia grew from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just 24 hours—a near-record pace. On October 23, the hurricane achieved its record peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h). This made it the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere and the strongest globally in terms of one-minute maximum sustained winds.
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Hurricane Willa was a powerful tropical cyclone that brought torrential rains and destructive winds to southwestern Mexico, particularly the states of Sinaloa and Nayarit, during late-October 2018. It was the twenty-fifth tropical cyclone, twenty-second named storm, thirteenth hurricane, tenth major hurricane, and record-tying third Category 5 hurricane of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season. Willa was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the Mexican state of Sinaloa since Lane in 2006.
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