• Crisis Severity ?
    3.2
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Impact ?
    3.9
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Humanitarian Conditions ?
    3.4
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Complexity ?
    2.3
    0 Very low
    Very high 5
  • Access Constraints ?
    1.0
    No constraints
    Extreme constraints
See all indicators

Key figures

  • 1,570,000 People displaced [?]

Overview

06/05/2021

Peru is the primary host country for Venezuelan asylum seekers. One of every five Venezuelans who have left their country now reside in Peru. The majority enter via Tumbes, on the border with Ecuador and head to La Libertad, Callao, Ica, Lima and Arequipa regions. ? The influx of Venezuelans has been largely absorbed by the host community and national response but with increasing numbers of Venezuelans in Peru and vulnerable conditions of new arrivals, additional support is needed. ?

Latest Developments

30/05/2023

Since early March 2023, heavy rains have resulted in flooding and landslides in the northern coastal areas and city of Lima in Peru. As at 24 May, the rains had affected more than 586,145 people and destroyed almost 36,300 homes, with numbers expected to rise in the coming days. Current climate predictions forecast heavy rains in the next few weeks, which could affect the emergency response and increase levels of need. The main needs are food, access to safe water, sanitation, health services (especially to prevent vector-borne diseases), protection, and livelihoods. Damage to schools has left at least 25,919 children and adolescents without access to education. The affected area also includes a transit area for Venezuelans travelling to Ecuador, but the number of Venezuelans affected remains unknown. Damage to roads and bridges is restricting humanitarian access to some areas. ?

Risk

Continued protests and mobility restrictions affect the living conditions of economically vulnerable population groups, worsening their overall living conditions Latest update: 29/03/2023

Probability

Highly unlikely Somewhat likely Highly likely

Impact

Very low Moderate Major

Natural hazards

06/05/2021

Peru is vulnerable to natural disasters including heavy rains and earthquakes. Flooding and landslides regularly cause damage to infrastructure and agricultural land, driving shelter, food, health and WASH needs in the country. ?

INFORMATION GAPS AND NEEDS

06/05/2021

Lack of information on the current location and needs of Venezuelans within Peru.

Coordinated humanitarian assistance for the regional displacement crisis seems to focus on Tumbes, Tacna, and Lima. Information on response activities and capacities in other areas is limited.

Limited information is available on coping mechanisms of displaced communities and conditions of the host community.

Key priorities

11/06/2021

Access to healthcare: The additional influx of Venezuelans might constrain vulnerable people’s access to healthcare and other basic services. Although advocacy efforts are underway, Venezuelans do not have access to the public health system.?

Protection: People arriving at the border require legal orientation and counselling. Unaccompanied and separated children as well as other vulnerable groups are in need of protection assistance, with xenophobia and SGBV of increasing concern.?

WASH: Recurrent natural disasters contaminate water sources and increase the risk of water- and vector-borne diseases like Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya. Access to clean drinking water is one of the primary needs of Venezuelans arriving at the border.?

COVID-19 Outbreak

11/06/2021

As at 10 June, Peru was the country with the highest COVID-19 mortality rate per million people and the fifth-highest number of deaths in absolute terms. More than 187,000 Peruvians have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic – an average of around 500 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Intensive care bed occupancy in the country is at 95,6% (with only 127 intensive care beds available out of 2,313), and only 4% of the population has been fully vaccinated.?

Multiple reasons have been identified for this situation: low investment in the health system (4.9% of GDP in 2017); few intensive care (100) and hospital beds (3,000) at the beginning of the pandemic; a focus on strengthening intensive care but not on virus detection and prevention; low testing capacity (in March 2020, there was only one laboratory capable of testing); and difficulties in implementing isolation measures over time.?

COVID-19 and related containment measures are having a negative impact on education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), affecting over 165 million students across the region. Most countries (29 out of 33) have implemented distance learning programmes through online or broadcast television platforms. However, considerable gaps in regular and equal internet access remain, particularly in rural areas. Several countries reported high numbers of students dropping out of school or unable to participate in online classes. 45% of students in Peru cannot access remote learning, 310,000 students in Honduras have been without schooling since March 2020, and in the Dominican Republic only 44% of the students have access to a computer. School closures are also affecting the diet and nutrient intake of students who relied on school feeding programmes and leading to increased protection risks in those communities with high rates of violence. ?

ACAPS' team is daily monitoring the impact of COVID-19. Find more information related to the outbreak here.