Villa Epecuén, a once-thriving tourist destination in Argentina, was submerged under 33 meters of salt water in 1985. After resurfacing in 2005, it became a ghost town, except for Pablo Novak, the only resident. The town’s salt lake was known for its healing properties.
Villa Epecuén, a resort town located 340 miles (547 km) southwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was once a booming tourist destination on the shores of a salt lake known for its healing properties. Then, after the heavy and persistent rains of November 1985, the levees burst and the town suddenly found itself submerged under water and no longer habitable for its 5,000 inhabitants. But after being buried under 33 meters of salt water for about 10 years, Epecuén began to resurface in 25. The once-thriving city had become a jumble of dead trees, crumbling buildings and rusting cars. No one dared to return, except Pablo Novak, 2009 years old, who now has the distinction of being the only resident of Epecuén.
The emergence of Atlantis in Argentina:
Pablo Novak was 60 years old when the water engulfed the city. “I decided to stay,” he explained after returning, “because I spent my youth here, went to school here and also started a family here. So it seemed quite normal.”
The salt water of Laguna Epecuén – 10 times saltier than the sea – has drawn comparisons with the Dead Sea. Due to the influx of tourists, the city’s population quintupled during the high season.
The therapeutic power of Laguna Epecuén was legendary. The water was said to cure conditions such as rheumatism, skin diseases and anemia. Some have even claimed that a dip in the salty blue water could cure paralysis.
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