26 January 2010

PERU: Heavy Rains Kill 7; 1,000 Tourists Near Machu Picchu Still Stranded



CNN / UPDATED: PM 28-01/
A helicopter airlift is slowly underway after 7 people died, 10,000 families affected, 2,000 homes ruined and some 1,000 tourists still stranded near Cuzco's famous Machu Picchu after heavy rains. “The rain keeps coming down as it has done continuously for 18 hours. Floods from overflowing rivers are imminent, homes have collapsed and their inhabitants have to be relocated,” reported the Cuzco Mayor Luis Florez. Of the 2,000 tourists stranded near the citadel, government and private helicopters managed to fly only 475 to safety by Tuesday.