PERU LANDSLIDES ENGULFS VILLAGE

LANDSLIDES CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINS
HIT TWO TOWNS IN NORTHEASTERN PERU

LIMA, Peru (BBC) - At least 29 people have been killed in north-eastern Peru after heavy rains sparked a mudslide that engulfed a small village, officials have said. The deadly mudslide was the second in as many days in Peru. On Thursday, five people were killed in the town of Cancejos. The mudslide struck the village in the Huanuco region. At least another 25 people are reportedly missing and 120 homes had been damaged or destroyed, the officials added. Civil defence chief Hipolito Cruchaga said emergency teams were at the scene, and that aid was being provided to those who had been made homeless. Mr Cruchaga said 50 people had also been injured in the latest mudslide. The BBC's Dan Collyns in Lima says days of heavy rains caused a small lake higher up a nearby mountain to overflow into a ravine. The AFP news agency quoted reports from the village as saying hundreds of people might still be missing. Mr Cruchaga said tents, blankets and food supplies had begun arriving in Huanuco for those hit by the latest mudslide. It was unclear how many people were in the village when disaster struck.

Today rescue crews, firefighters, military and police are still working in search of survivors. Heavy rains since December in the Andean nation triggered the natural disasters. In the past few months the Peruvian Andes have experienced one of the heaviest rainy seasons in decades, and this incident was triggered by a small lake higher up a mountain that overflowed into a ravine, according to officials. Some meteorologists say it is due to the cyclical El Nino weather pattern, while others attribute the downpours to climate change.


Another entire village has completely vanished, many people were buried. Authorities say the "El Nino" weather phenomenon is responsible for the tragedy, but they do not want to admit that soil erosion is due to irresponsible logging and reforestation neglect, which destroy the natural balance.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

In Lord's creation there are so many trees, varieties of trees. These trees always satisfy all other creatures. They give food to all; food to the eyes, food to the ears, food to tongue and food to nose, food to touch. We touch with this body. So, these trees they supply, because they are the life of all life. Without the trees we cannot survive. We can get oxygen, first thing that will help us to live. If there is no oxygen you cannot live. You cannot survive. ... The tree always gives shelter to us. But, we are not grateful to remember the trees and worship the trees. You see, in India all the big, big trees they worship.

Śrīla Bhakti Vaibhava Purī Mahārāj :
Lecture: “Navada Bhakti”
Slovenia, summer 1998.
Śrī Krishna Chaitanya Mission.