"Interim President Jose Maria Balcazar arrived in Arequipa on Wednesday, along with several ministers, to assess the damage and coordinate the state response following heavy rainfall that caused flooding and displacement in the region. Footage shows President Balcazar touring several city streets accompanied by Rohel Sanchez Sanchez, Governor of Arequipa, and Denisse Miralles, President of the Council of Ministers. According to the National Institute of Civil Defence, more than 4,000 people in Arequipa have been affected by flooding and landslides, nearly 500 homes have been damaged, and four people have died. The Peruvian government declared a state of emergency in 246 districts across 14 regions, including several in the Arequipa region, due to the imminent danger posed by intense rainfall. The measure was made official through a Supreme Decree published in the official gazette El Peruano, and will remain in force for 60 days. The emergency declaration seeks to protect the lives and health of the population, safeguard productive infrastructure and ensure the continuity of basic services. Authorities estimate that assistance programmes will include medical supplies, medicines, food, warm clothing, machinery, fuel, and logistical services to meet the needs of the affected population rapidly. "