Hundreds flee Peru floods

Overflowing rivers submerge communities throughout the Peruvian Amazon on Friday, forcing hundreds to abandon their homes in search of dry ground.

Water levels in the Huanoco region reached as high as three meters in some areas, inundating streets and destroying homes.

Emergency workers were called in to help evacuate those who were stranded.

Jorge Carranza, a meterologist in Lima, says that cold fronts, coming in from Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela, are creating intense rains which cause the Amazonian rivers in Peru to flood.

Emergency personnel helped distribute mattresses, blankets and food, while residents salvaged whatever was left of their belongings.