15 Killed in Mudslide Triggered by Rains

Fifteen people were killed in the south of the country after heavy rains triggered a mudslide that tore through towns and villages, leaving thousands of evacuated people stranded on nearby hilltops, authorities said. But President Alberto Fujimori eased fears of an even larger disaster after inspecting the area. He announced that Tuesday night’s avalanche killed 13 people in the worst-hit towns of Yanatile and Santa Teresa, where a deluge of rocks and mud obliterated more than 340 homes. Rescuers also found two bodies that the mudslide--caused by a swollen mountain lake bursting its banks--had swept into fast-flowing rivers, authorities said.