Death toll in Peru climbs to 65 from El Nino rains, floods

TIL Desk/World/Lima-The number of people killed in Peru following intense rains and mudslides wreaking havoc around the Andean nation has climbed to 65.

President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski says Peru’s coastal region hasn’t seen such environmental calamity since 1998.

Across the country, overflowing rivers have damaged 115,000 homes, collapsed 117 bridges and left people trapped on roofs waiting for rescue.

Kuczynski announced today he was declaring Peru’s Central Highway in a state of emergency and boosting funds for reconstruction.

The highly unusual rains are being caused by a warming of the surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean and are expected to continue for another two weeks.