In January 2010, heavy rain caused flooding buried or washed away roads and railways to

Machu Picchu, trapping more than 2,000 locals and more than 2,000 tourists, later airlifted out.
Machu Picchu was temporarily closed,[48] reopening on 1 April 2010.[49]

Entrance restrictions[edit]
In July 2011, the Direccin Regional de Cultura Cusco (DRC) introduced new entrance rules to
the citadel of Machu Picchu.[50] The tougher entrance rules attempted to reduce the impact of
tourism. Entrance was limited to 2,500 visitors per day, and the entrance to Huayna Picchu
(within the citadel) was further restricted to 400 visitors per day, in two time slots, at 7 and 10
AM.
In May 2012, a team of UNESCO conservation experts called upon Peruvian authorities to take
"emergency measures" to further stabilize the sites buffer zone and protect it from damage,
particularly in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes, which had grown rapidly.[51]

Cultural artifacts: Dispute between Peru and Yale University[edit]

In 1912, 1914 and 1915, Bingham removed thousands of artifacts from Machu Picchuceramic
vessels, silver statues, jewelry and human bonesand took them to Yale University for further
study, supposedly for 18 months. Yale instead kept the artifacts until 2012, arguing that Peru
lacked the infrastructure and systems to care for them. Eliane Karp, an anthropologist and wife of
former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, accused Yale of profiting from Peru's cultural
heritage. Many of articles were exhibited at Yale'sPeabody Museum.
In 2006, Yale returned some pieces but kept the rest, claiming this was supported by federal
case law of Peruvian antiquities.[52] On 19 September 2007, the Courant reported that Peru and
Yale had agreed on the return of the artifacts. The agreement included a joint traveling exhibition
and construction of a new museum and research center in Cusco advised by Yale. Yale
acknowledged Peru's title to all the objects, but would share rights with Peru in the research
collection, part of which would remain at Yale for continuing study.[53] On 21 November 2010,
Yale agreed to return the disputed artifacts.[54] The third and final batch of artifacts was delivered
November 2012.[55] The artifacts are permanently exhibited at La Casa Concha ("The Shell
House") close to Cusco's colonial center. Owned by the National University of San Antonio Abad
Del Cusco, La Casa Concha also features a study area for local and foreign students.