Mudslide destroys part of town in Peru

The authorities in Peru say at least fifteen people were been killed when a landslide swept away most of the mountain town of Santa Teresa, north of Cuzco.

Civil defense officials, who are flying food and blankets to the area, say most of the two-thousand villagers managed to flee but they needed drinking water, and more medicines.

Poisonous snakes and other animals have also fled to higher ground and are threatening the villagers.

Witnesses say that after several days of heavy rain, they heard a very loud noise, followed by a torrent of mud and stones about ten minutes later - which gave them just enough time to escape to the hilltops.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service