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El Nino in Peru: a new lake and a wake of destruction
In this story:
CAJAMARQUILLA, Peru (CNN) -- A fresh-water lake is among the newest natural wonders of the world.
Where once there was desert, so much rain has fallen in recent months in the Piura region of northern Peru that there is now a lake, encompassing some 6,000 to 8,000 square miles (15,600-20,800 square kilometers).
It is the result of El Nino, which has provoked unusually dense rainfall that has brought massive floods and mudslides throughout Peru, especially in the last month.
But the results are often far from picturesque. The devastation spans the country, from Ica in the south to Manpeusto in the north. In Manpuesto, not even those long dead could rest as the rain invaded graves.
And on the northern border, in Tumbes, some 26 times the normal rainfall has fallen.
'There are many of us like this'
Since December, about 200 people have died in Peru as a result of El Nino-related weather. More than 250,000 have been left homeless.
Countless harvests have been ruined. Some 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) of highway, 5 percent of the total road surface, have crumbled. There is the specter of cholera and malaria epidemics.
The residents of Campoy, a community of street vendors on the outskirts of Lima, never imagined that the nearby Apurimac River would reach them. The river bed has been dry for years. Now many have lost most of what little they owned.
Carmen Espinoza is desperate for help. But, she says, "There are many of us like this, so many. I'm not the only one."
Government disputes amount of relief needed
Army troops have been busy digging out Campoy. Health and relief workers have been building emergency shelters, dispensing medicine and distributing food.
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has been actively visiting stricken communities. His message: Peru can take care of its own.
Fujimori's Cabinet estimates total damage nationwide at no more than $800 million and argues that enough money is being spent on aid.
But in fiery debates, angry opposition politicians say the damage is closer to $1.8 billion, and that current aid levels are inadequate. They label Fujimori an adventure tourist and say his relief efforts are paltry.
What is undisputed among those who have suffered, though, is that no matter how much relief is provided, little can be replaced of what El Nino took away.
Correspondent Chris Kline contributed to this report.
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