Heavy machinery was already working to remove mud and debris from prior slides in a town near Cusco, when more land came loose  Tuesday.

The main square, a church and central streets in the town filled with mud, as villagers scrambled to get to higher ground.

Zurite´s Mayor says  residents are desperate, as the relentless rain continues to cause problems.
     
Local authorities say Tuesday´s slide affected 560 families, many of whom will join hundreds of people already living in makeshift refugee centers.

Meanwhile, people living on the shores of the Huallaga River were forced to evacuate as water levels spiked.

Houses, cars and streets in some towns in the southern Tingo Maria area were completely covered water.

Civil defense officials said15-HUNDRED  families in the area have been affected by the flooding.

The especially rainy season, attributed to the El Nino weather phenomenon, left thousands of tourists stranded at Machu Picchu last week.