Machu Picchu updates

The latest in from the Peruvian government regarding the situation in Cusco and Machu Picchu:

The Peruvian government today continued the evacuation of the 1,954 tourists affected by the suspension of trains into Machu Picchu, due to landslides caused by heavy rains.

Approximately 450 visitors have been evacuated so far with a further 700 expected to be evacuated throughout the day.

Many dignitaries including The President of the Cabinet of Ministers, Javier Velásquez Quesquén, the Vice Minister for Tourism, (INDECI), representatives from the Armed Forces, National Police and Private Sector travelled to the zone to oversee the rescue efforts and evaluate the damage.

As a result of the torrential rains, ten fatalities have been recorded, only one of which is believed to be a foreign visitor from Argentina. A total of 50 casualties have been reported as a result of the flooding.

The following actions have been taken:

· A state of emergency has been declared in the regions of Cusco and Apurímac.

· An air evacuation in operation from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, using 11 helicopters.

· Up until this morning (Peruvian time), 475 tourists have been evacuated, giving priority to the elderly, pregnant women and children.

· Once the helicopters reach Ollantaytambo, tourists are transferred by road to Plaza Regocijo in Cusco, where they are being met by their respective ground agencies. In the case of tourists not having a contracted agency, the Association of Tourism Agencies of Cusco (AATC) are providing a flight confirmation service which is free of charge. AATC can be reached on (0051) 084-222580 or (0051) 084-227492. All air and road transport is provided free of charge.

· Provisions of food and water have been guaranteed for the duration of the evacuation process. The army has been drafted in to assist in the rebuilding of damaged areas.

The situation for foreign tourists is considered stable, due to hotel capacity in the locality being low as a result of the floods. In addition, the government has offered its own buildings as an additional shelter for stranded travellers.

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