Once upon a time a population of about 1200 people lived in the valley town of Potosi in Venezuela.  One day, the president arrived on a helicopter and informed everyone in the little town that they’d have to move – the government was flooding the little town to build a hydroelectric dam.  People had to leave their houses, most of which they’d built with their own hands.  They had to leave their church, outside of which most of their relatives were buried.  They were all relocated to different parts of Venezuela.   The town was flooded, and all that remained visible was the steeple of their beloved church.

Steeple of the Potosi Church

Along came a weather phenomenon called El Nino.  El Nino made floods happen in some places, droughts in others.  In Potosi, it came in the form of a drought.  In early 2010, the town of Potosi emerged.  Most of the houses were gone, but the outside of the church still stands.

Skeleton of the Potosi Church

The Difference

The town was, obviously, uninhabitable when it first resurfaced, and there are no clear reports on what the Venezuelan government wants to do about the situation.  But the fact that even a little bit of the town survived its 25-year submersion is quite remarkable.  One might hope that the people of Potosi can someday return home.