The last young backpackers flew away from Machu Picchu as clouds closed in again, leaving Peru to grapple with flood damage that will close its top tourist site for weeks, or perhaps months.

THE Department of Foreign Affairs was last night providing consular assistance to nine Irish tourists who were among 2,000 people stranded by mudslides in the Machu Picchu region of Peru where a state of emergency has been declared.

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.

Heavy rains and mudslides in Peru blocked the train route to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, keeping nearly 2,000 tourists stranded.

Peruvian health officials said eight Amazon Indians of the Machiguenga tribe tested positive for swine flu and are recovering.

A top US University is holding some 40,000 artifacts from the famed Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, a Peruvian government official heading efforts to return the pieces said.

After finishing a publicity tour for Shrek the Third that took her to London and Taiwan, American actress Cameron Diaz made the most of a holiday in Peru.

About 1,400 tourists and local residents were stranded near Peru’s famed Inca ruins of Machu Picchu today after an overnight landslide knocked out 440 yards of train track, blocking a primary route into the area, authorities said.

An Irishman killed in a horrific bus crash in Peru has been named as David Scollard.

A SUPERB late goal by Uruguay winger Vicente Sanchez secured a 2-1 victory over defending champions Colombia and clinched the Copa America’s bronze medal.