Heavy rains fell on the city of Iquitos, causing devastation in various sectors, especially the health system. The neonatal unit at Iquitos Support Hospital was seriously affected by floods, putting the lives of newborns at risk.
Heavy rains caused leaks in the hospital roof, flooding facilities and damaging medical equipment vital to the care of newborns. The water accumulated in the area posed a serious danger due to electrical short circuits, endangering patients and medical staff.
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The Iquitos hospital was affected
In the face of this emergency, the hospital staff was forced to improvise solutions to protect the lives of newborns. Using buckets and other tools, workers removed the water and moved the children to safe places. However, the situation has raised great concern among health workers and families of newborns.
Given the seriousness of the situation, medical workers issued an urgent appeal to the regional authorities to accelerate the construction of the new hospital and improve the infrastructure of existing health centres.
They consider these measures necessary to ensure adequate and safe medical care for the population, especially in emergency situations.
Flooding in the neonatal unit reflects the need to improve hospital infrastructure. Photo: Capture by TVPerú Noticias.
Widespread damage in the city
In addition to the damage to the hospital, heavy rains also caused flooding in several areas of Iquitos, especially in the Punchana area. The winds toppled trees and electricity poles, leaving several areas without power.
Despite the bad weather conditions, some residents took the opportunity to cool off in the flooded streets, without realizing the risks involved. Local authorities issued alerts to residents, recommending that they take the necessary precautions to avoid accidents.
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