Rio plans to clear slums ahead of 2016 Olympic Games

The plans are to tear down shacks and replace them with houses of better standards

Slums in Rio de Janeiro are to be cleared and cleaned up as part of a major rebuilding plan ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, the city's mayor says.

The plan would affect over 260,000 households and would cost over $4.5bn (£2.9bn), Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said.

Hundreds of Rio's favelas will be re-built and 123 of the most "at risk" slums will be torn down.

Approximately 13,000 families in the 123 areas to be cleared would be relocated, Mr Paes said.

The city's slums will be replaced with paved neighbourhoods with running water, electricity and gas, according to the plans.

However, the rebuilding will not be finished by the Olympic opening ceremony, as the whole rebuilding plan will take 10 years to complete, Mr Paes said.