"Heavy rainfall affecting southern Peru has caused severe damage to homes and roads in Arequipa on Monday, as a result of mudslides and overflowing ravines recorded at different points across the region, leaving at least seven people dead, according to preliminary reports. Footage shows streets blanketed in thick piles of earth carried in by the torrents, vehicles submerged beneath mounds of mud and stone, and homes left teetering on the brink of collapse after the mudslides. "The daylight has revealed the level of damage, and we are truly suffering a major disaster in the city of Arequipa. The entire Chullo ravine has been concentrated in this area. It is truly terrible," said Luisa Macedo, Deputy Manager for Risk Management at the Provincial Municipality of Arequipa. According to the official report, more than 5,500 homes have been affected by the intense rainfall across southern Peru, mainly in the districts of Cayma, Cerro Colorado, Yanahuara, Sachaca and the historic centre of Arequipa. The overflow of the Chullo ravine caused flooding in dozens of properties, with mud, stones and debris entering homes and, in some areas, reaching up to two metres in height. Guillermo Gutierrez, regional head of the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (SENAMHI), has warned of further extreme weather in the region. "In the coming days, the rainfall will continue, and the intensities will vary," he said, cautioning residents to remain vigilant. "The soil is already saturated, and rainfall less intense than yesterday can cause major problems for the population." In addition, 49 homes have been declared uninhabitable after the force of the floodwater severely compromised their foundations. In several cases, the structures are at risk of collapse, prompting many families to evacuate as a precaution. "[The mudslide] took part of my little plot of land and my belongings. It dragged my animals away; I could not rescue them. You just stand there watching, shaking; it felt like an earthquake. I am a single mother, disabled, and I have nowhere to go to sleep; I am on the street," shared resident Virginia Vilca. "We are about to lose all our homes, this entire area. [We ask] that you please be sensitive to us because we are going to lose everything; with a couple more mudslides, we will lose it all. We urgently need help. They tell us the aid will come," added Edith Chua. The regional health manager, Walter Oporto, said that seven deaths have so far been confirmed, six already identified and a seventh pending identification, as a result of mudslides and electrical storms in the provinces of Arequipa, Caylloma and Caraveli. The most recent cases were recorded in the Arequipa region, where three people were swept away by intense currents generated by the rainfall, increasing the death toll from this climate crisis."