Train service on an alternative route to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu was temporarily suspended on Monday (March 30) after a landslide damaged a section of track in the Andean region of Cusco, the operating company and local authorities said.

PeruRail said it decided to halt service after a landslide struck the railway line along the Machu Picchu-Hidroelectrica route. The company notified passengers, travel agencies, and tour operators of the suspension but gave no timeline for when service would resume.

Local authorities recommended that tourists use the Ollantaytambo-Machu Picchu Pueblo route as an alternative, saying it remained "fully operational" to reach the ancient site.

Built from stone atop a mountain before the 15th century, Machu Picchu is Peru's top tourist attraction and one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world.

-Production: Videosur, Liamar Ramos/Reuters