Lima lacks drinking water as floods ravage Peru

Torrential rains have clogged the water treatment system of Peru’s capital, Lima.

Residents cannot drink tap water and supermarkets are almost out of bottled water.

Lima residents had to wait in line to get safe drinking water on Sunday, March 19.

An abnormal warming of the Pacific ocean off the coast of Peru has resulted in ten times the normal amount of rain falling on the country this year.

Flooding has ravaged half the nation, washing out roads, destroying crops, and triggering landslides.

The rains have caused 75 deaths so far, and left 100,000 people homeless. The government has declared a state of emergency in over 800 cities.

In 1998 similar climate conditions triggered torrential rains which in 374 people were killed.



(REUTERS)