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Peru to airlift stranded tourists Peru begins Machu Picchu airlift
(1 day later)
Authorities in Peru have ordered the airlift of nearly 2,000 tourists stranded by heavy rains in the country's top attraction, Machu Picchu. Peru's authorities have begun the airlift rescue of some of nearly 2,000 tourists stranded by heavy rains near its top attraction, Machu Picchu.
Days of heavy rains triggered up to 40 landslides, one of which blocked the railway connecting the Inca ruins with the city of Cuzco. The government declared an emergency in the area on Monday and has evacuated 20 tourists from the village of Machu Picchu Pueblo near the famous ruins.
Days of heavy rains triggered up to 40 landslides, one of which blocked the railway between Machu Picchu and Cuzco.
Two people are reported to have died when a mudslide destroyed their home.Two people are reported to have died when a mudslide destroyed their home.
Peru's tourism minister said the armed forces would be deployed to airlift tourists who had been unable to leave. The train to the city of Cuzco is the only means of transport on the last leg of the trip to the ruins, and has been suspended since Saturday when it was blocked by a landslide.
Martin Perez said the stranded tourists would be gradually evacuated, beginning with children and the elderly. That was one of many landslips which have blocked roads and destroyed homes in the region.
Landslides have cut off access to the world-famous ruins
Hotels in Machu Picchu village are said to be full and some of the stranded tourists have been waiting in the train station, while reports said others slept on the streets on Sunday.
Peru's Tourism Minister Martin Perez said that some 10 helicopters would help in the rescue, the Efe news agency reported. Some have already delivered food and water to the village.
Perurail, the company that runs the train line to Machu Picchu, said it was working non-stop to clear the rock and mud covering the tracks to open access to the village. They are hoping to resume service on Tuesday.
The company also said it was providing stranded passengers with meals on Monday and Tuesday morning, with support from a local hotel.
Swollen riversSwollen rivers
The railway was blocked by a landslide on Saturday, one of many which have blocked roads and destroyed homes in the region. The heavy rains have caused the deaths of two people - one of them a baby - killed when their home was hit by a mudslide.
Two people, one of them a baby, were killed when their home was hit by a mudslide.
Hundreds of hectares of crops, mostly maize, were destroyed when rivers broke their banks.Hundreds of hectares of crops, mostly maize, were destroyed when rivers broke their banks.
The authorities in Cuzco have declared a state of emergency in the south-eastern region of the country where they say up to 3,000 people have had their homes destroyed by floods and landslides.The authorities in Cuzco have declared a state of emergency in the south-eastern region of the country where they say up to 3,000 people have had their homes destroyed by floods and landslides.
The historic centre of Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire has also been damaged. The historic centre of Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire, has also been damaged.
A colonial-era house has collapsed and last week part of the Sacsayhuaman, the Inca fortress which flanks the city, was damaged by the intense rains.A colonial-era house has collapsed and last week part of the Sacsayhuaman, the Inca fortress which flanks the city, was damaged by the intense rains.
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