LIMA, Peru (AP) -- Mudslides have damaged parts of the famed Nazca Lines, mysterious symbols and animal figures that Indians etched into the ground in Peru's southern desert centuries ago, experts said Sunday.

The mudslides, which followed hard rains caused by the weather phenomenon El Niño, damaged several lines and one of the Nazca triangles and could threaten more serious damage, said Nazca historian Jose Lancho.

The avalanches in recent days have spared the well-known figures of a monkey, lizard, a spider and other animals made by the
Nazca Indians between 300-600 A.D., said Nazca historian Jose Lancho. The figures are among Peru's main tourist attractions.

But Lancho said that these and hundreds of other lines and figures could be damaged if El Niño's rains continue.

``El Niño has hit southern Peru harder than expected, and we are unprepared for it,'' he said. ``If the rain continues, the Nazca Lines could be permanently damaged by mudslides and flooding.''

The lines are shrouded in mystery and there are several theories about their purpose. One holds that the lines are a giant
astronomical map that told ancient desert dwellers when to plant and irrigate their crops.

El Niño has brought heavy rains to Peru's bone-dry southern desert, causing massive flooding and mudslides. The nearby city of Ica was devastated last week by a flood that swamped 90 percent of the city, washing away adobe houses and leaving thousands homeless.

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