Well it would appear that the situation in Cusco and Apurímac is worse than what it has been shown by the media.  Bloggers all over the internet have been posting articles about the situation in Machu Picchu and Cusco like wildfire!  As the information continues to flood in (no pun intended) from actual victims and tourists currently in Cusco, updates on many blogs like this one are coming in literally around the minute. 

Peruanista, a Peruvian blogger living in the US, has been hard at work for the past couple of days shedding light on what is really going on in Cusco, as his site provides real testimonials from those effected in the region.  Statements from Americans trapped in Aguas Calientes provide the ugly truth about the rescue operations that are being conducted.  You may have remembered earlier from my posts that I commented about the evacuation efforts that were being put in place by the Peruvian government and their 10 helicopters that were being sent in to evacuate the stranded.  Well, testimonials like the one on Peruanista's blog describe the reality of the situation and how in one day only 3 helicopters came to evacuate people. 


Talks about bribes to pilots, special preference by the US government helicopters to US citizens only, possible riots, are just some of the issues that are being presented by the stranded on the ground in Aguas Calientes. 

En Peru's Blog has been posting frequent updates as they unfold and has also been working hard to bring the news to those unaware of the situation.

Photos like the one's below from El Caminerito's blog (a photographer in Cusco) illustrate the harsh reality of the damage that has been caused from the flooding and landslides.



Here are some other sites that have updated information on the situation in Cusco:

• En Peru - A guide for Peru - in English
  
• Living in Peru - A guide for Peru - in English
  
• Peruanista - Spanish and English
  
• El Caminerito - A Peruvian Photographer living in Cusco (in Spanish)
  
• El Comercio - A National Peruvian Newspaper (in Spanish)
• La Republica - Another National Newspaper (in Spanish)
• RPP - A Peruvian Radio Station that has been covering the situation (Spanish)