Arequipa flooding emergency deepens with 17 fatalities confirmed after rescue helicopter crash, Peru
Intense rainfall that began on February 19, 2026, continued to affect Peru’s Arequipa Province through February 23, causing severe floods and landslides. Authorities reported at least 17 fatalities, including one caused by flooding, one by lightning, and 15 when a Peruvian Air Force (FAP) helicopter transporting evacuees crashed during relief operations in Caravelí Province. Hundreds of homes, roads, and bridges were damaged, and essential services remained disrupted as emergency and debris-removal efforts continued.
Image credit: INDECI
Intense rainfall affected Arequipa Province in southern Peru from February 19 to 23, triggering widespread flooding, landslides, and severe damage to infrastructure and housing across urban and rural districts.
The National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI) reported 2 fatalities on February 22, but the number increased to 17 on February 23 after 15 people died when a Peruvian Air Force (FAP) helicopter transporting evacuees crashed during relief operations.
One victim, an elderly woman, was swept away by a flash flood in Cayma District, while another person died after a lightning strike in Uchumayo.
The heaviest rainfall occurred between February 21 and 22, when intense downpours activated natural drainage channels, or torrenteras, that cross Arequipa City.
The flows transported mud, stones, and debris into populated areas, flooding streets and homes in the districts of Cayma, Yanahuara, Cerro Colorado, Paucarpata, and Socabaya. Landslides and road washouts were also reported in the rural districts of Chiguata and Pocsi.
The National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru (SENAMHI) maintained an orange-level alert through February 23, warning of daily accumulations above 40–60 mm (1.6 to 2.4 inches) in high-elevation zones and forecasting continued unstable conditions into February 24.
INDECI reported that 93 km (58 miles) of roads and four bridges were damaged across the province.
Public services were interrupted as flooding and debris blocked water supply lines and damaged electric grids, while dozens of families were displaced after homes collapsed or became uninhabitable.
Local officials requested the expansion of the state of emergency to additional districts to enable access to national relief funds.
According to El País, the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) confirmed that a Mi-171Sh helicopter on a rescue and support mission amid flooding in the Arequipa Region crashed near Chala Viejo, Caravelí Province, killing all 15 people on board (4 crew + 11 passengers, including 6 teenagers and a 3-year-old child).
The aircraft was operating under low-visibility mountain conditions, with dense fog over mining terrain hindering navigation. The FAP immediately convened an investigation board to determine the causes. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud impact after the helicopter flew at a non-permitted altitude.
Authorities expect conditions to gradually improve after February 24 as the moisture flux shifts northward and rainfall intensity declines.
References:
1 LLUVIAS INTENSAS EN LA PROVINCIA DE AREQUIPA – AREQUIPA – INDECI – February 19, 2025
2 Mueren 15 personas al estrellarse un helicóptero de la Fuerza Aérea de Perú en plena emergencia por inundaciones en Arequipa – El Pais – February 23, 2026
I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.
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