El Niño rains in Peru disrupt access to Machu Picchu

LIMA, Aug 19 (Reuters) – Heavy rains linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon caused flooding in Peru on Wednesday that disrupted access to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, closed roads due to landslides and flooded homes in the capital Lima.

• Peruvian authorities ordered the Inca Trail, a main tourist route to Machu Picchu, closed until Saturday due to overflowing waterways and debris, according to local media.

• El Niño, a weather phenomenon that warms the Pacific Ocean surface, causes intense rains and droughts across Latin America, is already impacting Peru’s fishing and agriculture.

• Flooding from heavy rains in Lima collapsed water and sewage services, filled dozens of homes and prompted class suspensions in three southern districts of the city.

• “We’ve lost everything, my furniture (…) my refrigerator that my children just gave me for Mother’s Day, it’s all ruined. The stove, all my appliances that they just gave me, everything is ruined,” said Flor Gonzales, whose Lima home was flooded.

• Road closures from landslides also affected the southern regions of Arequipa and Moquegua.

• Southern Copper, one of the country’s leading copper producers, said operations in the south of the country had not been impacted. Peru is the world’s third-largest copper producer.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; additional reporting by Carlos Valdez for Reuters TV; Writing by Iñigo Alexander; Editing by Nicolas Misculin and Kylie Madry)