Two killed in Machu Picchu floods

A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)

A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)

Firemen clear debris around a collapsed building in Liege, in Belgium (AP)

Firemen try to extinguish a fire in a collapsed building in Liege, in Belgium (AP)

A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)

Flooded areas in Peru due to the overflow of the Urubamba river in Cuzco (AP)

A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)

Flooded areas in Peru due to the overflow of the Urubamba river in Cuzco (AP)

A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)

Flooded areas in Peru due to the overflow of the Urubamba river in Cuzco (AP)

thumbnail: A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)
thumbnail: A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)
thumbnail: Firemen clear debris around a collapsed building in Liege, in Belgium (AP)
thumbnail: Firemen try to extinguish a fire in a collapsed building in Liege, in Belgium (AP)
thumbnail: A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)
thumbnail: Flooded areas in Peru due to the overflow of the Urubamba river in Cuzco (AP)
thumbnail: A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)
thumbnail: Flooded areas in Peru due to the overflow of the Urubamba river in Cuzco (AP)
thumbnail: A family carry their belongings along the Huatanay river in Cuzco, Peru (AP)
thumbnail: Flooded areas in Peru due to the overflow of the Urubamba river in Cuzco (AP)

A mudslide on the famed Inca trail to Machu Picchu killed an Argentinian tourist and a Peruvian guide, as authorities evacuated hundreds of tourists by helicopter from a flood zone where more than 1,500 others were still stranded.

Cuzco government spokesman Hernet Moscoso said the Argentinian, identified as Lucia Ramallo, 23, and the guide, Washington Huaraya, were in their tents when a slope gave way and their tents were crushed. Three other tourists were injured.

Authorities closed the Inca trail, a popular tourist trek that follows a stone path built by the ancient civilisation from their capital, Cuzco, to the Machu Picchu citadel.

The deaths raised to five the number of people killed by heavy rains that have caused floods and landslides and collapsed homes, Mr Moscoso said.

Of the 2,000 stranded tourists in the villages of Machu Picchu Pueblo and Aguas Calientes near the citadel, government and private helicopters managed to fly 475 to safety, Tourism Minister Martin Perez said.

"(On Thursday), if God helps us and the weather permits us, we should be able to get out 700 or 800 tourists in eight hours," Mr Perez said.

Hundreds of tourists were caught in the villages on Sunday because mudslides blocked the railway to Cuzco, which is the only way in or out of the Machu Picchu area.

Peruvian and US authorities sent four Peruvian military helicopters and four US counternarcotics helicopters to bolster rescue efforts on Tuesday. The US helicopters are based in Peru and normally used for drug interdiction and police training.

Rail operator Perurail also rented two helicopters to ferry in supplies and evacuate tourists, the company said in a statement.

There was no immediate word on how many people were taken out.