Bad weather leaves thousands stuck in Machu Picchu

The Seattle Times reports on the 2,000 stranded visitors in Peru's Machu Picchu ruins.

Heavy rains and mudslides this week blocked the critical train track in Machu Picchu Puebla (the village near the ruins) to nearby town Cuzco.

Perurail spokeswoman Soledad Caparo told the AP that train company crews were working nonstop to clear rock and mud covering the tracks, but she said flooding of the adjacent Urubamba River had slowed the cleanup.

Rains stopped Monday night and Perurail said in a statement that service could resume Tuesday, "weather permitting." It added that military helicopters delivered food and water to the village and would return Tuesday to continue evacuations.

Read the full story: Rains strand 2,000 tourists at Machu Picchu ruins

Photo by Danny Catt