After the rain

As heavy rains and flooding wreaked havok along the desert coast of Peru in March and April, I kept thinking about what had happened to the Nasca culture in Peru during the sixth century, when natural disasters contributed to the demise of their society.

With almost 1,200,000 people afftected, many of whom lost their homes and farmlands, there was an initial surge of help, an oupouring of sympathy across the country and around the world. From the patio of the Presidential Palace to grocery stores and television stations – from churches to stadiums to hair salons, the rush to assist in the midst of so much disaster was earnest and widespread. The rains lightened, the worst of the emergency was handled, channels were established for getting resources to those in need, and the work of recovery has begun.

And it will be work.

What happens now must also anticipate what will happen tomorrow.

But enough for now. Have to pack for Chiclayo.

But for more about the recent flooding and why it makes me think of Nasca, you can read my essay in the Earth Island Journal.

Please have a look. tweet it. share it. think about it. comment…  Thanks – I’m curious what you think.

In Peru, Learning from the Nasca: 

Finding parallels between the demise of an ancient culture and contemporary environmental challenges