Some 900 people have been evacuated from the tourist community of Machu Picchu Pueblo, not far from the jewel of Inca culture in Peru, due to heavy rains and floods that have destroyed homes and left one person unaccounted for, the ministry said Monday.
“So far, in coordination with Inka Rail and Perú Rail, we have been able to transport 889 tourists from Machu Picchu Pueblo to Oliantaytabo,” as the area was flooded by a river overflow on Friday, the ministry said in a statement.
One person was injured, another is missing and several buildings, as well as railways, were damaged. The missing person had not yet been located yesterday, local authorities said.
At the same time, access to the villages around Machu Picchu was blocked yesterday due to farmers' demonstrations, demanding the resignation of the Minister of Agriculture Victor Maita, according to the newspaper La República.
As part of the mobilizations, the railways to Machu Picchu, which are used in emergency situations, such as when there are floods, were also excluded.
The railway is the main means to reach the Inca citadel from Cusco, the former capital of their empire.
Due to the damage caused by the rains and floods on the railways, it is predicted that the train services for the tourists will be suspended until at least the 27th of January, according to Perú Rail.
About 447,800 people visited the archeological site of Machu Picchu, part of the world cultural heritage, in 2021, from 1.5 million before the new coronavirus pandemic broke out.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Peru: “Everything stinks of death” – Reckless destruction by oil spill
Peru: 87-year-old man is the first victim of “florona”
