A landslide in Peru’s Amazon region has left at least 12 people dead and 20 injured after striking two riverboats in the Ucayali jungle province early Monday.
Local authorities report that two individuals remain missing, while police and naval units deployed by helicopter are assisting the rescue effort.
The disaster occurred around 4:20 a.m. in the river port of Iparia, roughly 415 kilometers from Lima, when collapsing earth and debris surged into the river, overturning two vessels traveling to nearby towns. Three children are among the dead. Both boats sank, and officials have not yet determined the number of passengers onboard.
Rapid currents, whirlpools and heavy seasonal flooding have complicated rescue operations. The Amazon basin, which covers more than half of Peru, frequently experiences unstable terrain and severe weather during the flood season.
One of the vessels had departed from a nearby Indigenous community and stopped in Iparia so passengers, including teachers and medical personnel, could disembark, according to local reports.
Search and recovery efforts continue as authorities work to account for all passengers and stabilize the affected area.
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