Ghost Town Comes Up For Air After 25 Years Under Water

A strange ghost town that spent a quarter century under water is coming up for air again in the Argentine farmlands southwest of Buenos Aires. Villa Epecuén was once a tourist village. At its height, Villa Epecuén had the capacity to accommodate 5,000 visitors, while unofficial accommodations allowed for 2000 more.

On November 10, 1985, a seiche caused by a rare weather pattern broke a nearby dam first, then the dike protecting the town. Rapidly made uninhabitable, Villa Epecuén saw the waters rise progressively, reaching up to 10 meters (33 ft) at its maximum. The village was never rebuilt. Now the water has mostly receded, exposing what looks like a scene from a movie about the end of the world.