LIMA, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The Peruvian government has declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions and the Constitutional Province of Callao, due to the "imminent danger" posed by heavy rains associated with the El Nino climate phenomenon, the Presidential Office said Thursday.
The emergency measures will remain in force for 60 days, during which "immediate and necessary" actions will be carried out to reduce the existing high risk and support response and rehabilitation efforts.
The continued presence of coastal El Nino and its development in the central equatorial Pacific ahead of the coming rainy season require urgent state measures, according to a report by the National Institute of Civil Defense.
The Peruvian administration warned that the response capacity of various regional governments "has been overwhelmed," making technical and operational intervention by key national government agencies essential.
