You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
A general view shows the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
Copy linkEmailFacebookWhatsAppXLinkedInBlueskyThreadsImpact Link
SaveSaved
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider
subscribers. Become an Insider
and start reading now.Have an account? .
A near-empty reservoir in Spain has revealed the ruins of Aceredo, a ghost village that has been underwater since 1992.
2022-02-13
The village, located on the Spain-Portugal border, was purposefully flooded using a dam in order to create the Alto Lindoso reservoir, Reuters reported.
The ruins of Aceredo are now attracting tourists to the old, muddy streets and dilapidated buildings.
The water level in the Alto Lindoso reservoir is at 15% of its capacity, revealing a village that has been stuck in time, Reuters reported.
A general view shows the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
The ruins of Aceredo village include partially destroyed buildings and lots of loose debris.
A house is seen at the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
There are signs of life that once occupied the village, including an old cafe, a drinking fountain that is still spewing water, and a rusty car.
A house is seen at the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
The mayor of the area, Maria del Carmen Yanez, said drought and the low levels of rain in recent months were to blame for the low water levels, Reuters reported.
The roof of a house is seen in the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
She also blamed Portugal's power utility that manages the reservoir, accusing it of "quite aggressive exploitation."
A house is seen at the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
Portugal's power utility told the outlet drought was the cause of the low water level and that they are "efficiently" managing the water resources they control.
A submerged tree is seen at the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
Maximino Perez Romero, a 65-year-old from the area, told Reuters: "It's as if I'm watching a movie. I have a feeling of sadness," adding: "My feeling is that this is what will happen over the years due to drought and all that, with climate change."
A general view shows the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
Jose Alvarez, who worked construction in Aceredo before it was submerged, told the outlet: "It's terrible, but it is what it is. That's life. Some die and others live."
A general view shows the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
Tourists are now coming to see the remains of a village that has been inaccessible for decades.
A general view shows the ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain, February 10, 2022.Miguel Vidal/Reuters
Read next
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Kelsey Vlamis is a senior reporter for Business Insider, where she covers business and tech news. She also writes business stories about travel, luxury, and culture. Previously, she covered the environment, outdoors, and indigenous issues.Her feature story "Disaster at 18,200 feet" received awards from the New York Press Club and the North American Travel Journalists Association, as well as honorable mention from the Society of American Travel Writers. She has also received an American Journalism Online Award for her coverage on missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wyoming.She's appeared on CBS, NPR, NBC, and other outlets to discuss her reporting. She previously worked on the world news desk at the BBC in London and received a master's in journalism from Northwestern University.She can be reached by email at kvlamis@bjinnox.com or via the encrypted-messaging app Signal at kelseyv.21.
