Villa Epecuen, A Real-Life Underwater City In Argentina

Published June 10, 2013
Updated November 8, 2023

The fascinating story about the reemergence of Villa Epecuen in Argentina, an underwater city that reemerged in 2009 after being underwater for 25 years.

Villa Epecuen Photoraph

While many have excited themselves over a recent scientific discovery of what appears to be a millions-of-years old Brazilian Atlantis, relatively few seem to have reveled in the astonishing re-emergence of a previously sunken city within the same continent.

Just a couple hours south of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Villa Epecuen was once a thriving resort community nestled near the therapeutic salt lake of Lago Epecuen.

Boasting many fine amenities, one of which included a railroad station (a relatively novel installation for such a small town), Villa Epecuen’s population swelled to a cozy 5,000+ during the 1970s. So too, however, did the waters during a particularly rainy season in 1985. As an unfortunate result, the salty waters tore through the picturesque village and by 1993, the entire community could be accessed not via train but rather flippers.

It wasn’t until 2009 that the town’s 33-foot deep liquid canopy receded and revealed what resembles a set from the latest George A Romero film:

Real-Life Underwater City

Real-Life Underwater City Villa Epecuen

Underwater City In Argentina

Villa Epecuen

Underwater City

Villa Epecuen Picture

Epecuen Argentina

Real-Life Underwater City Argentina

Underwater City Argentina Villa Epecuen

Villa Epecuen In Argentina

Photo Of Underwater City

Deserted Underwater City

Savannah Cox
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.