Torrential rains triggered flash floods in the Peruvian capital Lima, stranding thousands of people Friday and forcing rescuers to find ways to evacuate them across roads turned to raging rivers. ADVERTISEMENTOthers found themselves cut off by mudslides that blocked portions of the main highway linking Lima to the center of the country. The floods have been triggered by El Nino, a warming of surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that wreaks havoc on weather patterns every few years. This year it has hit Peru particularly hard. The government announced it would release 2.5 billion soles ($760 million) in emergency funds to rebuild affected areas.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 18, 2017 03:33 UTC