For the various processions that take place during Semana Santa, the people of Ayacucho create beautiful alfombras de flores – carpets of flowers for the various religious idols to pass over. On Wednesday the procession of El Encuentro – The Encounter many of these were destroyed by a brief rain shower.

The various makers of the various alfombras scrambled to save their work as the rain began by covering them with plastic. Then as the rain water began flowing down the vast mountain hills behind the city the street turned into a river and there was little they were able to do. This video shows one of the alfombras being destroyed after being abandoned.

Tags: ayacucho, huamanga, semana santa