Creepy 'ghost' village emerges between Spain-Portugal border

The ruins of a 'ghost' village have been exposed after a drought dried up a dam on the Spain-Portugal border, attracting curious crowds.

The ancient village of Aceredo was submerged by the Limia River in 1992 for hydroelectricity.

In 1992, the village of Aceredo in the Northwest of Spain was submerged to make a reservoir. Recently, when the amount of water in the Alto Lindoso reservoir was only 15% because it was dry, this village emerged from the water creating a ghastly gray scene.

"I feel like I'm watching a sad movie. This scene can happen again from time to time because of drought and climate change," said Mr. Maximino Perez Romero, 65, when visiting the village to see the village. 'ghost'.

After the water dried up, the village appeared full of death.

Walking on cracked mud, residents found partially collapsed roofs, bricks and pieces of wood, even a drinking fountain still dripping. Empty beer bottles piled on top of each other and a rusted old car against the stone wall.

Maria del Carmen Yanez, Mayor of the Lobios region, said a drought in the region had hit in recent months and that the tightening of electricity supply by neighboring Portugal's EDP company had exacerbated the situation. .

Lake Alto Lindoso has only 15% water left.

On February 1, the Portuguese government ordered six dams, including Alto Lindoso, to stop using water for electricity production and irrigation, due to increasingly severe drought.

The stability of reservoirs in this border area is also a matter of concern. Data from the Spanish Ministry of the Environment shows that the country's reservoirs are at 44% of capacity, well below the average of about 61% over the past decade, but still well above the levels recorded in the past decade. drought in 2018.

One source said drought indicators suggest the situation will continue to worsen in the coming weeks.