Peru flooding damage leaves two million children out of school

Weeks of heavy聽rain and flooding in Peru聽has damaged more than 1300 schools and left two million聽children with no education.

The official start of the school year was delayed for a week because 14,000 schools had been directly affected by the聽“coastal聽El Nino” weather phenomenon.

Classes resumed in many parts of Peru two days ago. But estimates say聽schools attended by聽two million children will聽remain closed because of damage or as a preventative measure.

About 1390 schools聽were damaged in聽landslides and flooding described as the worst seen in 30 years. Of those,聽489 were reported to have聽collapsed or been left聽unusable.

“The large number of children temporarily out of school raises also other child protection concerns,” said the United Nations children’s agency聽UNICEF.

“There are reports of many children and families living in unofficial shelters which are聽unlikely to meet basic needs, including water, sanitation and hygiene as well as protection.”

Peru and other countries have been affected by the聽El Nino phenomenon,聽a rise in sea temperatures that increases evaporation and causes聽heavy rains.

About 90 people have been killed, hundreds injured and more than 700,000 left homeless by the floods and landslides – including 285,000 children. About 29,000 homes and hundreds of聽bridges聽have been totally or partially destroyed.

Peru’s First Vice-President Martin Vizcarra聽predicted the rebuilding of damaged聽infrastructure could cost $1 billion and聽take three or more聽years. But he said restoring schools would be one of the top priorities.

“I cannot do it [reconstruction works] directly –聽there is procurement to be done. The study alone takes six to eight聽months,” he said.

“It will take at least two to three years to do it right.”

国产视频淚 have lost my grocery store and my house, which no longer exists,国产视频� said Mariano Carreras of Chongoyape, a town in the Lambayeque region.

国产视频淢y children have no clothes to wear, and the flood took away all their school books,国产视频� he聽told The Los Angeles聽Times. 国产视频淲e are desperate and having nothing. Who will help us?国产视频�

Save the Children said half of the country had been affected.聽

Last week the charity it said it was distributing hygiene and school kits to families living in shelters.聽

Staff were also聽setting up child-friendly spaces where children can feel safe and protected, receive help from specialists and play with other children.

Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children, said:聽“Thousands of children have been out of school for months. In Lima alone, 85 schools have been closed.”