Rains cause flood damage in Peru's Machu Picchu

LIMA, Peru -- Strong rains in the town of Machu Picchu, next to the Inca citadel with the same name that is a major tourist draw, washed away railroads and bridges Friday, officials said.

Flooding of the Alccamayo river interrupted train services to Peru's main tourist attraction, the regional government of Cusco department said.

Houses near the river were flooded, but there were no reports of loss of life.

The Peru Rail company, one of two that provides transport in the region, said in a statement that trains have been cancelled until further notice.

Some 447,800 people visited the Machu Picchu site in 2021, a figure reduced by the pandemic and far lower than the usual 1.5 million per year.

Peru's economy declined 11.12 percent in 2020 and was in recession until June last year, with tourism the hardest-hit sector with a decline of more than 50 percent.