Σε απόσταση περί τα 500 χιλιόμετρα νοτίως της πρωτεύουσας Μπουένος Άιρες, η Επεκουέν σκεπάστηκε απο τη λίμνη και παρέμενε έκτοτε 10 μέτρα κάτω από την επιφάνεια του νερού. Κτίρια, δρόμοι, αυτοκίνητα, κοιμητήρια, καταστήματα, όλα σκεπάστηκαν από το νερό.
Την πόλη αυτή, προτού βυθιστεί, επισκέπτονταν 20.000 τουρίστες κάθε χρόνο. Ήταν ξακουστή για τις θεραπευτικές ιδιότητες που είχαν τα νερά της παρακείμενης ομώνυμης λίμνης. Χάρη στη μεγάλη περιεκτικότητα σε αλάτι, λεγόταν ότι τα νερά της λίμνης μπορούσαν να θεραπεύουν διάφορες νόσους, ψυχικές και σωματικές.
Από το 2009 και μετά, η στάθμη της λίμνης άρχισε να υποχωρεί και τα κτίρια της πόλης να ξεπροβάλλουν από το νερό. Σήμερα, σχεδόν τρεις δεκαετίες μετά τον καταποντισμό της, η πόλη που έχει ξεπροβάλλει ολόκληρη πια από το νερό, θυμίζει φάντασμα του εαυτού της. Σκέψη να ανοικοδομηθεί, δεν υπάρχει καμία. Ακόμα και οι κάτοικοί της την ξέχασαν.
.tanea.gr
18/3/13
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Eerie Argentinian ghost town comes up for air...
ReplyDeleteEPECUEN (Argentina)
— 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.
Epecuen was once a bustling little lakeside resort, where 1,500 people served 20,000 tourists a season. During Argentina’s golden age, the same trains that carried grain to the outside world brought visitors from the capital to relax in Epecuen’s saltwater baths and spas.
The saltwater lake was particularly attractive because it has 10 times more salt than the ocean, making the water buoyant. Tourists, especially people from Buenos Aires’ large Jewish community, enjoyed floating in water that reminded them of the Dead Sea in the Middle East.
Then a particularly heavy rainstorm followed a series of wet winters, and the lake overflowed its banks on Nov 10, 1985. Water burst through a retaining wall and spilled into the lakeside streets. People fled with what they could, and within days their homes were submerged under nearly 10 metres of corrosive saltwater.
Now the water has mostly receded, exposing what looks like a scene from a movie about the end of the world. The town has not been rebuilt, but it has become a tourist destination again, for people willing to drive at least six hours from Buenos Aires to get here, along 340 miles of narrow country roads.
People come to see the rusted hulks of automobiles and furniture, crumbled homes and broken appliances. They climb staircases that lead nowhere, and wander through a graveyard where the water toppled headstones and exposed tombs to the elements.
It is a bizarre, post-apocalyptic landscape that captures a traumatic moment in time.
One man refused to leave. Mr Pablo Novak, now 82, still lives on the edge of the town, welcoming people who wander into the wrecked streets.
“Whoever passes nearby cannot go without coming to visit here,” Mr Novak said while showing The Associated Press around. “It’s getting more people to the area, as they come to see the ruins.”
Many residents of Epecuen fled to nearby Carhue, another lakeside town, and built new hotels and spas, promising relaxing getaways featuring saltwater and mud facials.
“Not only do we have Epecuen with the ruins and its natural wealth, but we also can increasingly offer other alternatives,” said Mr Javier Andres, the local tourism director.
AP
http://www.todayonline.com/world/americas/eerie-argentinian-ghost-town-comes-air
10/5/13