Heavy rains triggered a mudslide and rockslide in Peru’s Arequipa region Tuesday (August 18), destroying part of the Southern Coastal Highway and stranding hundreds of cargo trucks for more than 12 hours.

The slides severed the land connection between Arequipa, Tacna, and Ilo, creating a road emergency that affected thousands of people across southern Peru, according to local reports.

Local broadcaster RPP Noticias said the natural phenomenon swept away key sections of the highway. Traffic was blocked in both directions, leaving vehicles and passengers stranded along the route.

On the Pan-American Highway South, about 10 kilometers of vehicles remained immobilized due to the rains.

The closure extends between kilometers 772 and 782, on the stretch between the districts of Ocoña and Atico in Arequipa. Authorities have not said when the highway will reopen.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. VARIOUS DRONE VIDEOS OF CARGO TRUCKS STRANDED ON COASTAL HIGHWAY AFTER LANDSLIDE

OCONA, AREQUIPA, PERU (AUGUST 18, 2026) (LATINA TV - No use Peru)

2. VEHICLES STRANDED ON HIGHWAY, PEOPLE STANDING NEAR VEHICLES

3. PEOPLE SITTING IN CAR

4. VEHICLES STRANDED ON HIGHWAY

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STRANDED PASSENGER (NAME NOT GIVEN), SAYING:

“We don't know how to feed ourselves; for example, I have three children in the vehicle, we’ve been stuck for three days now and there’s no way to feed them. The little we brought is running out, so they need to give us a solution regarding food.”

OCONA, AREQUIPA, PERU (AUGUST 18, 2026) (AREQUIPA REGIONAL GOVERNMENT - Access all)

6. STRANDED PASSENGERS WALKING PAST ROWS OF TRUCKS WAITING IN LINE ON BLOCKED HIGHWAY

7. REGIONAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS DISTRIBUTING SUPPLIES TO PASSENGERS AFFECTED BY LANDSLIDE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) AREQUIPA REGIONAL DISASTER MANAGER, JOSEANTONIO CARRERA, SAYING:

“The rains are causing continued landslides, so we have to be very careful.”

9. VEHICLES ON BLOCKED HIGHWAY

10. (MUTE) DRONE VIEW OF CARGO TRUCKS STRANDED ON COASTAL HIGHWAY AFTER LANDSLIDE