Peru air lifts thousands as floods kill over 70

The air force has been air lifting people from the northwestern city of Piura after the Viru river burst its banks. The floods have so far displaced some 630,000 residents.

Residents cross the Viru river after the Viru bridge at the Pan American highway collapsed after a massive landslide and flood in Trujillo, northern Peru, March 20, 2017.
TRT World and Agencies

Residents cross the Viru river after the Viru bridge at the Pan American highway collapsed after a massive landslide and flood in Trujillo, northern Peru, March 20, 2017.

Peru's air force has air lifted around 7,000 people stranded in flood-hit areas across the country. The country's record-breaking floods have so far killed more than 70 people.

People formed long queues as more than 1,000 still waited to be lifted to safety.

The air force has been air lifting people from the northwestern city of Piura after the Viru river burst its banks, threatening further devastation.

The floods have injured 263 people while 20 have gone missing and some 630,000 have been displaced, according to the latest official report.

Foreigners have reported that they are often left behind by the air force.

Peru is bracing itself for another month of flooding as an emergency has been declared in about half of Peru to expedite resources to the hardest hit areas.

TRT World 's Nafisa Latic reports.

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