LIMA -- Authorities said that about 1,400 tourists have been airlifted from Machu Picchu in Peru after floods and landslides that blocked roads and railway.

The weather eased a bit, allowing the government to dispatch rescue helicopters. However, about 800 tourists remain stranded.

More than 2,000 tourists were trapped in the town of Aguas Calientes after heavy rains severed road and rail links to the area. Tourists have started to complain about soaring prices of goods and the slow pace of the rescue operation.

Several hotels were reported to have raised their rates considerably. Cash machines have also dried up so some tourists have to rely on locals for food.

Reports said that five people were killed, including two residents when their home was destroyed, and a trekker who got crushed in a landslide while sleeping in a tent.