After 30 years underwater, a ghost town appears

Drought in recent months has damaged the reservoir of the Alto Lindoso Dam, located near the Spanish-Portuguese border. Filled with only 15% of its capacity, it gave rise to a sight that one does not see every day: the ruins of a small ghost town.

Aceredo’s story

Thirty years ago, several families living in the small town of Aceredo were forced from their homes in order to build the reservoir of the Alto Lindoso dam. Creating the infrastructure required flooding the valley where the area is located. Five other villages in Ourense County also suffered the same fate for the hydroelectric project.

Image source: Reuters

However, fluctuations in the water level in the reservoir have made it possible over the years to look at the remains of the Aceredo. However, this is the first time since 1992 that the entire little ghost town has appeared in the middle of a usually rainy winter.

Image source: Reuters

Prolonged drought in Spain

Rain has been rare in Spain in recent months. In particular, at the end of 2021, the country was entitled to only 35% of the average precipitation, according to data recorded between 1981 and 2010. Even worse: since the beginning of 2022, there has been almost no millimeter of rain did not happen. has been registered.

Moreover, according to a source from the Spanish Ministry of Environment, it was reported by CNN mediaDrought indicators showed a potential deterioration in the coming weeks, but it has not yet identified a widespread problem across the country.

growing case

But Spain is not the only one suffering from this drought. Portugal, the neighboring country, has seen very little rain since last October. According to the national weather agency IPMA at the end of January, 45% of the country was experiencing severe or severe drought conditions.

See also: A turbulent end to February ahead