Tourists in Machu Picchu evacuate flooded town

Local authorities on Friday began helping hundreds of stranded tourists evacuate Machu Piccu town, near the renowned Peruvian archaeological reserve, after heavy flooding carrying rocks and mud blocked the railway used to exit the area. Tourists left by foot using a bridge crossing the Alcamayo River, which had been overflowed by heavy rains. After crossing the rails blocked by the flood, tourists boarded railroad cars in a cleared area. According to the region’s civil defense, the swollen river flooded at least two hotels in the town of Aguas Calientes, where many visitors stay in during their visit to the Incan ruins. Authorities have not reported any damage to the Inca stone citadel, Peru’s main tourist attraction, which is nestled in the heights of nearby mountains. Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century as a religious sanctuary of the Incas and is located in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon at an altitude of 2,490 meters.