LIMA, April 24 (Reuters) - The rodent population in six Peruvian regions has ballooned due to unusual weather patterns and the government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday to control the plague, including in the capital city, Lima.

The rodents are flourishing in some areas because of higher-than-normal temperatures, which favor their reproductive cycle, said Pedro Morales, a spokesman for the Senasa national agrarian health service.

The rampant rodents have affected nearly 150,000 people and 32,100 acres (13,000 hectares) of land covered by crops, livestock and naturally growing vegetation, according to a resolution published in the government gazette El Peruano.

The plague has cost the South American country nearly $5 million and could pose a health hazard if the creatures spread disease via the food supply.

Rodents living near the Andes mountains often eat potatoes and fava beans, while on the coast they feed on white beans, cottonseed and a fruit called "pepino dulce," which sometimes translates in English as sweet cucumber or pear melon.

"The pepino is manna for the rodents," Morales said.

Government brigades are fumigating in some areas to thin the rodents' ranks. The state of emergency will last for three months but could be extended if the problem is not tamed. (Additional reporting by Marco Aquino)

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