'The loneliest person in the world' lived alone for 25 years in a 'ghost town'

Mr. Pablo Novak, 93 years old, returned to live in the ghost town of Epecuen (Argentina) for nearly 25 years; no one else was here after the town was submerged in floodwaters.

As the only resident of the "ghost town" submerged underwater nearly 40 years ago , Pablo Novak is known as the loneliest man in the world .

" Until about four or five years after the flood, when the water was still high, no one came here," he told CNN .

In a 2015 interview, Mr. Pablo said his wife did not return to town with her husband. She and her children live in a neighboring town. His house was small and dusty, full of rusty chairs and old newspapers, and didn't even have electricity.

Mr. Pablo is the only resident living in Epecuen town for the past 25 years.

"I came back here to be with my cattle, and I never left again. I was completely alone, all day" - Pablo confided.

Every day, he walks around town with his dog and "got used to being alone".

"At my age, I simply enjoy life by walking through the ruins of Epecuen, hoping someone will ask me something" - Mr. Pablo said.

The small house where Mr. Pablo lived in town.

The town of Epecuen , located 300 miles southwest of Argentina's capital Buenos Aires, was submerged by floodwaters in 1985. When he returned to the town to live 25 years ago, Mr. Pablo stayed in an abandoned house. wild with garden.

Around 1980, the town of Epecuen had a population of 2,000 and was a popular lakeside resort, attracting 20,000 tourists a year.

Old photos show tourists in swimsuits enjoying the clear blue waters of Laguna Epecuen - which some believe has healing powers. They flock from many surrounding localities in the hope that this sea will help fight diseases ranging from rheumatism and skin diseases to diabetes and depression.

Every day, Mr. Pablo walks around town with his dog.

The town has a railway station built in 1972 and about 280 businesses including hotels, museums and racecourses.

Disaster occurred in November 1985 when a rare weather pattern appeared. The pouring rain caused a dam to burst and within two weeks the town was under three meters of water. Most residents left and never returned.

Over the years, water levels rose, peaking at 10 meters in 1993. Then, water levels rose again in 2009.