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Hundreds of tourists stranded at Machu Picchu after flooding
Severe flooding in Peru has caused several landslides that have left hundreds (reports range from 1500 to 2500) of people stranded at Machu Picchu. Many of the landslides happened on Saturday, killing one tourist and his guide, and leaving others stuck in spots along the Inca Trail that leads to the site. The 40-mile railway that connects the ancient site to Cuzco was also blocked by the landslides, leaving tourists stranded and the city's only hotel overwhelmed as it tries to care for everyone.
According to the UK's Guardian, helicopters are the only option for getting supplies in and getting people out right now. Unfortunately, the going is slow and supplies at Machu Picchu are dwindling. And, says the AFP, some of those stranded are concerned that others are bribing officials in order to be rescued first. In the meantime, those who can't find accommodation are camping out by the train station or in the city square.
Over 1300 homes have been destroyed because of the flooding and landslides, which have been called the worst in 15 years. A 60-day state of emergency has been declared.
Filed under: South America, Peru, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Helly(Travel by the Calendar) Jan 27th 2010 5:57PM
I'm a bit confused by this story. The train from Cusco runs to a town called Aguas Calientes, a very touristy little village with lots of hotels , restaurants etc. From there, most people then catch a bus or walk (60-90 minutes) up to the site of Machu Picchu. There is a nice hotel just outside the Machu Picchu site, but if that's the hotel that's been overwhelmed, it implies there are hundreds of people stranded, not in town but at the actual Machu Picchu site. A quick internet search suggests that in low season, which this is, there might be 1500 people per day at the site, did they all catch the bus up at the same time, and then the road buckled? I'd love to know more about this story, but so far I'm coming up with a lot more questions than answers. Please give us more details.