PHOTO: Machu Picchu archaeological site. (photo by Brian Major)

Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR) is working with municipal and regional authorities to provide access to the Machu Picchu archaeological site, which has been disrupted due to a landslide on the Hiram Bingham switchback road leading up to the historic site.

Heavy rains earlier this week cause the landslide that blocked the road, preventing shuttle buses which normally provide tourists with access to the site from reaching the historic ruins, according to officials at Officials at the Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board (Prom Peru). MINCETUR has arranged for buses to provide transportation from the town of Aguas Calientes, at the foot of the mountain leading to the site, to an area called Puente Ruinas from where tourists can use pedestrian pathway to reach the ruins. Using the path, the site can be reached via a hike of about one and one half to two hours.

The municipality of Machu Picchu is providing medical tents and specialized personnel for tourists who are suffering symptoms of altitude sickness have other emergency medical needs.

Local and regional authorities are closely monitoring the rehabilitation work needed to resolve this road blockage, according to ministry officials.

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