The Impact of In-Utero Flood Shocks on Education Achievement : Evidence from El Niño in Peru

This paper investigates the long-term effects of in-utero exposure to floods. Using data from the Peruvian National Household Survey (ENAHO) over the period 2001--2017, I examine the completion of primary and secondary education for individuals born between 1975 and 1983 following the exposure to floods during the 1982-1983 El Niño in Peru. The probability of completing primary education during adulthood decreases by 1.5 percentage points after in-utero exposure to the floods. The effects are statistically significant only for individuals in urban dwellings and they are robust to the inclusion of covariates. In a context where the occurrence of El Niño events is more frequent due to climate change, most vulnerable groups need the help of the government to better prepare for extreme weather conditions