In Peru, parts of the wall of the Kuélap fortress collapsed after heavy rainfall. The massive wall around the archaeological site in the Andes collapsed in at least two places, radio station RPP reported Tuesday evening (local time).
It has been raining for weeks in Luya province. This apparently weakened the foundation of the wall. The South American country’s cultural authority temporarily closed the facility to visitors to assess the damage.
It is estimated that the Kuélap fortress was built around the year 1100 by the Chachapoyas people at about 3000 meters above sea level above the valley of the Río Utcubamba. The complex includes more than 400 houses, watchtowers and – in places where there is not a very steep slope – a wall up to 21 meters high that surrounds the ruin complex.
In 1532, the Spanish conquistador Diego de Alvarado expelled de Chachapoyas from the complex, which is considered the “tourist jewel of Northern Peru”. Due to diseases that were brought in, the people largely died out a little later.
Experts had already warned in 2019
Since Kuélap Fort is not as famous as Machu Picchu, the resources for its preservation are very scarce. What many experts had already warned about has now been confirmed: the collapse of one of the walls of the archaeological site, the structure of which has been described by experts as very fragile since 2019.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
