Over 300 evacuated after mudslide blocks Peru highway

Military helicopters began evacuating over 300 passengers stranded on a highway in southern Peru on Friday. A mudslide, triggered by intense rains from a weather phenomenon dubbed Aníbal, blocked a section of the road in the Arequipa department.

Cars, buses, and trucks carrying perishable goods and animals were trapped on a stretch of at least two kilometers of the highway. Heavy machinery and soldiers worked to clear the debris in Atico, a town over 700 kilometers south of the capital, Lima.

"We are bringing water and food for all the people, there is an air bridge" to evacuate the most vulnerable first, President Keiko Fujimori told reporters upon her arrival at the scene. Defense Minister Rafael Belaúnde confirmed that three helicopters were transporting approximately 350 affected individuals between the coastal towns of Atico and Ocoña.

Authorities estimate the road could be cleared between Saturday and Sunday. The National Meteorology Service had warned of intense rainfall and flood risks in Arequipa, associated with the Aníbal weather system. The phenomenon caused increased humidity and cloud cover along the southern coast, leading to heavier-than-usual rainfall and strong winds for this time of year.

The effects of the weather system also caused extreme rains in Cusco, where access to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was suspended as a precaution. In Lima, prolonged drizzles on Monday led to flooding in two districts due to poor drainage.