At Least 7 Peruvians Dead From Havoc Caused By Yaku Cyclone

On Monday, the Peruvian government confirmed that at least seven citizens have died from the intense rains and floods generated by the "Yaku” cyclone, which was formed at the end of February in the Pacific Ocean and has severely affected northern Peru.

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In Trujillo and Lambayeque cities, residents got knee-deep in water so they could descend the pedestrian stairs and drag their vehicles through the flooded streets.

"My house was filled with water to the waist. I have lost everything. I have nothing to sleep or sit on," a woman from Trujillo city said.

Currently, the departments of Cajamarca, Lambayeque, Piura, and Tumbes are on red alert for extreme rainfall.

The National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI) estimates that at least 592 districts on the north coast and the mountains may be affected by landslides in the coming days.

To speed up aid to these districts' residents, the government declared a state of emergency in the Tumbes, Piura, Cajamarca, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Áncash, and Lima departments.

President Dina Boularte flew along with Defense Minister Jorge Chavez and INDECI Director Carlos Yañez over streams damaged by the increase in the rivers in such departments.

"It is a sadness and a pain to see and predict that more family properties will be submerged in the mud, that much of their crops will be lost," Boluarte said, urging to increase humanitarian assistance for citizens living in the affected departments.

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