READ ALSO: Gas continues to escape 20 hours after the explosion: chronicle of an endless disaster
In this regard, the prime minister indicated that after finalizing the draft emergency decree that proposes this measure, it will be immediately presented to the Council of Ministers for approval today, Wednesday, in a new session. The districts included are: Villa Maria del Triunfo, Villa El Salvador, Lurin and Pachacamac.
“We have been informed that due to the special circumstance where the events occurred, in addition to the shock wave, up to 4 districts would be included. Although it is true the district of Villa Maria del Triunfo brings together the greatest impact in terms of citizens and infrastructure, we also have the districts of Villa El Salvador, Lurín and even a part of Pachacamac“Adrianzén said at a press conference.
The prime minister explained that, as part of the first response actions to the emergency, the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) ordered the placement of tents, beds, mattresses and other items in the affected area. Likewise, he said that as a second step it is now necessary to carry out complementary and larger actions. He explained that For this purpose the state of emergency.
The explosion occurred when cylinders were being supplied to the natural gas compression plant next to the tap. (Photo: Joel Alonzo/ @photo.gec)
/ Jesus Saucedo
“I am referring to the need to declare in state of emergency the districts that have been mentioned. This is a legal condition that we require so that Indeci can take the next step to the first response.“, accurate.
At another time, Adrianzén clarified that what happened was not a deflagration, but rather a mechanical explosion; and he called for waiting for the completion of the investigations to determine responsibilities. “Let’s not speculate. We hope that the investigations conclude to determine the methods, circumstances and those responsible. Immediately afterwards, within the framework of the complaint that must deserve the attention of the Public Ministry, the other details will be determined.”he added.
Is the state of emergency well planned?
Freddy Rojas, PUCP professor specializing in natural gas and environmental risk analysis, commented Trade that said explosion occurred when they were working with compressed natural gas. In these cases, he said, the first thing any company that works with this type of gas has to do is activate its emergency plan in the event of an event of this magnitude. It is mandatory.
“In Peru we have natural gas for vehicles and also compressed natural gas. The latter is delivered in cylinders. The event occurred during the filling of cylinders of compressed natural gas. The advantage that the natural gaswhen there is a leak or the tank explodes, it is because it has a density lower than that of air and quickly dissipates towards higher areas.”I explain. He maintained that at the end of Wednesday there should no longer be any presence of gas in the affected area.
READ ALSO: Government will declare a state of emergency in four districts affected by the explosion at VMT
Rojas explained that as initially reported, the area where the explosion wave spread was more or less 4 to 5 blocks around, that is, a radius of almost 500 meters. Taking this range into account, considered it a bit exaggerated on the part of the Government to contemplate within the emergency declaration due to the disaster in 4 districts.
However, he assumed that the measure has more to do with a political aspect, in order to foresee the adequate execution of actions or contemplate all possible scenarios.
“We, as specialists in the technical part, know more or less what the area of influence is. From the political point of view it is something else, surely the Government, perhaps unaware of the event, may have magnified it and have taken a different attitude”, he expressed.
The event left one person dead, more than 40 injured and extensive material damage. (Photo: Joel Alonzo/ @photo.gec)
For her part, for Mary Mollo, specialist in Disaster Risk Management at ESAN, what happened in a tap of Villa Maria del Triunfo It meets all the characteristics to be called a disaster, since there has been the loss of a life and damage or impact to heritage, not only individual, but also roads and public infrastructure.
However, he specified that it is not a disaster caused by a natural phenomenon, but rather it would be due to an anthropic phenomenon, that is, caused by the hand or action of man. However, he indicated that the authorities would have to first identify the causes that caused this phenomenon to occur.
“What happened is concrete evidence, in my opinion, of how anthropic phenomena occur, due to the lack of what could be a more methodical, more professional and rigorous care of the conditions in which, for example, plants must operate. of this type. There are supposed to be certain protocols that have probably not been followed. In addition, it exposes the nearby population to danger and affects the entire surrounding infrastructure.”Mollo explained.
Affected people demand that the company be held responsible for the damage to their homes and that the State help them with assistance. (Photo: Joel Alonzo/ @photo.gec)
On emergency declaration, the expert maintained that it always occurs in a situation where a disaster has already occurred and is supported to the extent that there is loss of life, it is necessary to care for the victims and injured, and it is also necessary to reconstruct and repair the material damage caused. . This entire set of conditions implies this measure.
“The Geophysical Institute or Ingemmet, as institutions, must have already determined what type of waves have been generated and that have traveled through various spaces in the ground, producing vibrations, earth displacements or damage to the structure. This must be serving as an information base, along with what has been mapped by Indeci, to be able to declare emergency in several districts. I imagine that there must be a prior evaluation of the effects of the movement of the earth due to an explosion of natural gas”, concluded.
Mollo added that the emergency declaration It is contemplated in the legislation of our country with the intention that it be proposed as an immediate response measure to protect life. It will allow, he highlighted, the inter-institutional intervention in the area to be expedited to be able to care for those affected and rehabilitate services that may have been damaged.
READ ALSO: Guide to entering the new Jorge Chávez: the accesses, routes and circuits that the airport will have since its opening in December
“There is a large population that needs to be served and if we had to do it through the national public spending and investment system we would have to follow many protocols and procedures of the procurement system. The emergency declaration It gives us a scenario where all these procedures are overcome by immediate action. “It gives advantages to the Government and the State to be able to have a faster response capacity,” stood out.
