AT LEAST nine Irish tourists are stranded in Peru following mudslides in and around the country’s biggest tourist attraction, Macchu Picchu.
Heavy rains and mudslides in Peru have blocked the train route to the ancient Inca citadel, resulting in an estimated 2,000 tourists becoming stranded.
The Department of Foreign Affairs last night confirmed that the honorary Irish consulate in Lima has been in touch with two separate organised groups, with which nine Irish people are travelling. The spokesman said there were no reports of injuries and that the tourists were in no immediate danger.
Although the Peruvian government suspended helicopter rescue operations yesterday due to heavy rains, it is expected that the tourists will be airlifted out of the area when weather conditions improve.
The Peruvian government has yet to evacuate about 1,500 people who remain stranded in Aguas Calientes, a town near the Inca ruins, since January 24th.
“There are adverse conditions in the area north of Cuzco where the helicopters need to fly,” foreign trade and tourism minister, Martin Perez, told Radioprogramas yesterday.
“Chile, Colombia and Brazil have offered to send helicopters . . . We don’t need any more as the way in to Machu Picchu is very narrow and we had several helicopters flying simultaneously.”
Helicopters airlifted 475 people on Tuesday to the cities of Ollantaytambo and Cuzco.
At least eight people have already been killed following intense rains in the southern Andes during the last week which triggered flooding and landslides.
An Argentine tourist and her guide died yesterday on the Inca hiking trail after a landslide buried their tent, according to Radioprogramas. About 6,000 people have been left homeless after floods and landslides devastated the region around Cuzco following the longest spell of heavy rain for 20 years. – (Additional reporting Bloomberg)