Mexico: An ancient 16th century church submerged in a south Mexico dam project 49 years ago has been reappeared following a severe drought. This is drawing the attention of the visitors by boat to have a glimpse at the spectacular ruins.
Apostle Santiago church was built by Dominican friars, vanished under water in 1966 when the hydroelectric dam was built in the Grijalva river.
Across 1,000 to 2,000 indigenous Zoque people who lived in Quechula as their town was named, were relocated and their homes were submerged.
Around half of the 15-meter high church, which no longer has a roff emerged in recent weeks in the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir. Birds have been landing on the ruins and vegetation has grown on the stone, while Juan Alvarez Diaz has used his 10-seater boat to take visitors to the church.
This is not the first time that the church reappears. Earlier in 2002 the entire 60-meter long building is seen.
Luckily, the Church was abandoned hundreds of years before, in the great plagues of 1773 to 1776. It doesn’t look like it was ever widely used, either.
