20 Strange Settlements Submerged Deep Underwater
The legendary sunken city of Atlantis has, for thousands of years, been an immense source of intrigue for people. There’s just something so evocative about the idea of an entire society being swept underwater and lost forever. But while Atlantis is probably just a myth, there are real-life equivalents. Here, we take a look at some of the most unbelievable sunken settlements on Earth.
1. Villa Epecuén, Argentina
About a century ago, a village was built along the edge of a lake in Argentina called Lago Epecuen. This settlement was Villa Epucuen and it grew to house something like 5,000 inhabitants at the height of its popularity during the 1970s. But there was a storm brewing, meaning the history of this village was about to come to a dramatic end.
The wider area started to see more rainfall, which meant Lago Epecuen became fuller and fuller. Eventually, in 1985 the water levels became so high that intense flooding followed. Slowly but surely, Villa Epecuen was swallowed up and concealed from view altogether. It was only around 2009, when conditions became drier, that the town began poking out of the surface once again.
2. Shicheng, China
During 1959 the Chinese city of Shicheng was sacrificed for the sake of the Xin’an Dam and the hydroelectric plant that accompanies it. Some 300,000 locals had to leave the city, as it was going to be flooded. The whole metropolis was then swallowed up by the water, though it wasn’t lost entirely.
You might expect all this water to have damaged the ruins of the city but actually it’s helped to preserve it. Sunshine, heavy downpours, and harsh winds couldn’t touch the structures of Shicheng, so it’s endured the decades underwater very well. Nowadays, the sunken city’s an amazing sight for the divers lucky enough to get close to it.
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