The inhabitants of the communities of Palo Blanco and Los Progongos de San Juan de Licupis, in the province of Chota, Peru, asked the authorities to relocate their villages due to the great damage caused by the recent floods in the area. In addition the rains have caused several landslides and have turned the mountains near the town in a very unstable terrain.
The Lieutenant Governor of Los Porongos said: “We need to be relocated. We have talked with the authorities of Palo Blanco, with the citizens, who are our relatives. Both peoples are one family. We want to locate the village in a land of Mr. Nilson Montenegro. A terrain that would resist the rains. “
For his part, the Municipal Agent César William Estrella Monteza, said: “I would ask our school, doctor and church to relocate in a safer area. The two villages in a safer area. Mr. Nilson’s field is suitable for this.”
Palo Blanco
The town presents numerous cuts in the ground, product of the intensity and bravura of the water that ran through the streets of the town. Neighbors have placed sacks with sand to prevent flooding of secondary school.
One of the local residents, Victoria Vidarte, tells us that the 6 families living in the village have left their homes for several weeks: “The whole community has slept in the high parts of the place for fear of flooding. But now we have returned to our homes.”
The porongos
Of these towns, the most affected is the Porongos. The huayco has arisen from the hill ‘Panza negra’ that is behind the community and has been forked before reaching the village. However, it has destroyed the small garden of three environments (PRONOI) that was under construction and has collapsed part of the provisional place where the small garden Luceritos de amor. On this, Lieutenant Governor tells us: “On March 24 at night a torrential rain has destroyed the garden. We could not get anything out because the mud, sticks and stones that has gone down have taken away all the educational material, didactic and the furniture that had the cheerleader to work. Today our children no longer have material.”
Several landslides
The rural road leading from Maychil, Palo Blanco and Los Porongos shows in numerous large and small landslides. They have caused several fields to be lost and the land made unsafe. At any moment these landslides could be activated with the rains, again.
The inhabitants said that during the days 25, 26 and 27 of March that the rains were strong and continuous they were very afraid. One of the settlers tells us that “they were grouped in some house of their relatives to be able to flee if necessary”.
Likewise, they said they felt worried today that the Huaicos could slide again. They also revealed that they are very worried about their land as they have become shaken and unstable.
The carvable trail that reaches these villages has become unusable. In several sections of it presents cuts, cracks and accumulated earth. Similarly, the horseshoe path leading to these villages is insecure and choppy. The passage from Maychil to Palo Seco presents two big landslides and other small ones.
The initiative of the inhabitants
However, in the absence of help from the authorities, the people of these two villages have taken the initiative to recover their horseshoe path themselves so that they can go to the nearby town of Maychil to stock up on necessities.
On Friday March 7 the men of the community organized and began to recover their horseshoe path. The work crew started from Palo Seco to Maychil.
To reach the two villages, you have to walk 3 hours, crossing a series of obstacles due to the bad condition of the road: mud, stones, sand and fallen trees.
They need drinking water and repair their canal
Likewise, the authorities of both districts expressed their concern that the water they drink is not drinkable. The system they possessed has been affected by landslides. They also asked the state to help rebuild its irrigation canal that has also been affected.
They thank the help of Caritas de Chota
The inhabitants of these towns affected by the rains thanked the help of Caritas de Chota, who from the parish of Llama has made food available for food. Therefore, they reiterated their gratitude to the Prelature and to the priests Carlos and Luis.
In the same way, they celebrated the initiative of the Augustinian Recollects for having arrived to their villages to verify in person the situation in which they are. They also thanked Santa Monica Radio for being a communication channel at their service to collect their needs.