Landmines close Chile-Peru border
Loading...
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Chile has closed its main border crossing with Peru after torrential rain washed landmines on to the road.
Officials did not state how many mines had been displaced by the downpour, but army bomb disposal experts have detonated at least four devices. The closure caused severe congestion at the Arica-Tacna border crossing.
Chile planted thousands of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines along its northern border in the 1970s during a period of tension with Peru.
In recent years it has been working to de-mine the area. It seems that around 03:00 water rushed down from the ravine, causing the landmine to drift onto the road.
The mines are thought to be Anti-personnel and anti-tank mines which is why the army haved ordered the road to be closed.