Lima prepares river for potential flooding from El Niño
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Officials in Lima, Peru, are working to prepare the Chillón River for increased water flow expected with the El Niño (FEN) weather pattern.
The Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation and the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima inspected cleaning and unblocking work along a 4-kilometer stretch of the river in the Carabayllo district. Crews are removing sediment, reinforcing riverbanks with dikes, and improving the riverbed’s ability to carry water.
The project currently focuses on a 12-kilometer section upstream from Trapiche bridge and a 6-kilometer section downstream to La Atarjea intake, with a goal of removing 480,000 cubic meters of material across 70 locations in the Lima region. These efforts aim to protect approximately 2 million people from potential flooding. So far, authorities have intervened at 10 critical points along the Chillón River, completing 5.474 kilometers of work in the Comas and Santa Rosa de Quives districts.
Beyond physical work on the river, the Ministry of Housing also trained over 1,600 employees in identifying and preventing corruption during emergency responses. The training, called “Transparent Dialogues: Integrity facing FEN 2026,” covered topics such as bribery, evaluating contractors, and using reporting channels. The ministry plans to continue these training sessions for officials who make decisions, to ensure resources are used effectively.
