pray for cusco

Cusco to declare state of emergency due to heavy rains
LivinginPeru.com


The heavy rains that are hitting Cusco these days have generated at least 40 mudslides in the region, that have in turn caused several damages and even some deaths. (many adobe houses build on the hillsides have fallen. An adobe wall fell into the house/patio of one of our church members)

Isabel Champi (52) and her six months old grandson died when a wall fell down in the district of Santiago (Santiago is the district where Ricky and I live within Cusco - our house is safe as we live on flat land), after the Vilcanota river flooded and destroyed houses, crops and public infrastructure along the Sacred Valley.

Several mudslides have been reported on the Cusco-Machu Picchu railway, forcing to shut down temporarily the train services, according to Peru Rail: despite all the efforts done in order to transport passengers to Machu Picchu, it was not possible to do so. (Many residents, aprox 2,000 and some 500 tourists have been islated at Machu Picchu town without a way back to Cusco. Some are camping out in the main square and others at the train station since the trains cannot operate. It is probable that some tourists will be brought back by helicopter. It was reported that a group has decided to hike from Machu Picchu town back to Ollantaytambo.)

Some 20 tons of corn and potatoes crops have been destroyed, and the flights have had to be temporarily stopped (nearly 2,000 tourists are stranded in Cusco until flights can resume)

The regional government is preparing to declare Cusco in state of emergency.

*additionally, today Jan 25th, the Pisac bridge washed out by the rising Urubamba river. This bridge is the only way to cross from Pisac to reach the city of Cusco