Machu Picchu’s vulnerability is nothing new, with reports of collapse risk going back several years. In fact, as early as 2012, a fault in the Urubamba Valley raised concerns. The danger can be attributed to climate change, deforestation, and heavy rains that have affected the mountainous area of Cusco.

The ancient Incas, in the 1400s, foresaw the risk, building a drainage system to divert the water that penetrated through canals that carried it down into the valley. However, today these canals are obstructed and reconstructing the underground route is a complex undertaking due to the partial lack of information.

It has recently been reported that the Peruvian Ministry of Culture has announced the temporary closure of three crucial areas of Machu Picchu, including the Temple of the Condor, Intihuatana, and the Temple of the Sun. In fact, the high influx of visitors, estimated at 3,600 to 3,800 per day, is considered one of the main causes of the deterioration of the soil, which is registering a subsidence of 15 centimeters per year.