Cusco Flood Appeal
On 29th January, nearly a week after the Urubamba River burst its banks, the last of the stranded tourists at Machu Picchu were airlifted by helicopter back to Cusco. 
Left behind is an abandoned town whose community depend wholly on tourists to sustain itself. The raging waters have destroyed large sections of the railway line, which, apart from a 4-day hike along the Inca Trail, is the only way to access Machu Picchu. Current estimates put the repairs at 8 weeks leaving the Inca ruins inaccessible and the livelihoods of thousands at risk. This is the rainy season in the Andes so it’s not unusual, but the volume of the water was the highest in over 15 years. At its peak, a flow of 1,100 cubic metres per second was measured; the previous record was 850 cubic metres per second.
The international media is failing to report on the local Peruvians and what the devastation will mean for them. In the Sacred Valley, where the Urubamba River flooded low-lying fields and nearby communities, people have been left homeless and crops destroyed. As the government seems to be focussing all its efforts on looking after the tourists and repairing the train lines, the people most affected seem to be forgotten.
Last year I became aware of Latin American Foundation for the Future,
a charity set up to help young and vulnerable people in Peru, such as street children. One of the projects LAFF support is Azul Wasi just outside Cusco. Having spent 6 months living and working with children in the Sacred Valley I was immediately interested. The ‘Blue House’ currently houses a number of orphaned children and is working to become self-sustainable. Last week the floods have threatened to damage the foundations and the staff and children have been working desperately to dig their own flood defences. The house urgently needs help to finance more substantial defences and to repair damage already done. Whilst the house is inhabitable at the moment, the children need somewhere else to live, and this also needs money.
If you are able to assist with this project in any way, it would be so gratefully received. For more information on the charity please see http://www.laffcharity.org.uk/projectnews.html
Left behind is an abandoned town whose community depend wholly on tourists to sustain itself. The raging waters have destroyed large sections of the railway line, which, apart from a 4-day hike along the Inca Trail, is the only way to access Machu Picchu. Current estimates put the repairs at 8 weeks leaving the Inca ruins inaccessible and the livelihoods of thousands at risk. This is the rainy season in the Andes so it’s not unusual, but the volume of the water was the highest in over 15 years. At its peak, a flow of 1,100 cubic metres per second was measured; the previous record was 850 cubic metres per second.
The international media is failing to report on the local Peruvians and what the devastation will mean for them. In the Sacred Valley, where the Urubamba River flooded low-lying fields and nearby communities, people have been left homeless and crops destroyed. As the government seems to be focussing all its efforts on looking after the tourists and repairing the train lines, the people most affected seem to be forgotten.Last year I became aware of Latin American Foundation for the Future,
a charity set up to help young and vulnerable people in Peru, such as street children. One of the projects LAFF support is Azul Wasi just outside Cusco. Having spent 6 months living and working with children in the Sacred Valley I was immediately interested. The ‘Blue House’ currently houses a number of orphaned children and is working to become self-sustainable. Last week the floods have threatened to damage the foundations and the staff and children have been working desperately to dig their own flood defences. The house urgently needs help to finance more substantial defences and to repair damage already done. Whilst the house is inhabitable at the moment, the children need somewhere else to live, and this also needs money.If you are able to assist with this project in any way, it would be so gratefully received. For more information on the charity please see http://www.laffcharity.org.uk/projectnews.html
Thank you
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)