Reappearing Church In Venezuela
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by LynThomas in Environment
Reappearing Church
The former Venezuelan town of Potosi was deliberately flooded in 1985, in order to make way for a reservoir. Now the former town has made a haunting reappearance, thanks to an historic drought brought on by the El Nino weather pattern.
Two and a half decades ago, the Andean town of Potosi was home to approximately 1,200 residents, Reuters reported. Venezuela’s then president, Carlos Andres Perez, landed in the village in a helicopter to tell everyone that Potosi was to be evacuated and flooded, its residents relocated, its colonial church and homes abandoned.
A hydroelectric dam was built, and the Uribante Reservoir rose until its waters had covered all but the steeple to Potosi’s cathedral.
Now, the 25 meter-tall church and the ruins of Potosi have emerged once again, following a devastating drought which has gripped Venezuela. The water levels at Uribante Reservoir have dropped by nearly 90 feet. The church, grave markers, ruins of demolished houses and footprint of the old town square have reappeared.
empty Vanuezala dam
Past residents of the town, are once more able to walk on the area that used to be their home. Green grass is once again flourishing in the area as the lake waters disappear.
Scientists say the same weather pattern, El Nino, that has caused devastating snowfalls and rain across the United States and Europe this winter, is responsible for Venezuela’s worst drought in decades.
The 28 million residents of Venezuela rely heavily on hydroelectric power for its electricity requirements, but because of the extended drought reservoirs like the one that had swallowed up Potosi have been running close to dry, resulting in nationwide energy rationing.
Venezuela is on the brink of a devastating power crisis, as posing a serious political threat to President Hugo Chavez. The President has imposed penalty fees for energy overuse, shorter workdays for the many public employees and reduced hours for shopping malls.
Cloud seeding failed to produce the desperately needed rain. Chavez says the rationing plan will hopefully assist the country to reach the month of May, when seasonal rains are predicted to return.
Venezuela’s Guri Dam is the third largest producer of electricity in the world. If the water levels of the dam continue to fall, the nation faces a serious crisis. “We’d be in a situation where we’d have to halt the country, the entire economy,” said Vicot Poleo, an oil economic professor at Venezuela’s Central University and former official in Chevez’s Energy Ministry. The existing gas and oil-fired power plants would be able to cover only around 20% of the nation’s needs. Widespread and sustained outages would be in force.
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[...] A hydroelectric dam was built, and the Uribante Reservoir rose until its waters had covered all but the steeple to Potosi’s cathedral. Read how Vanuezla is facing an electricity crisis that could halt the nation… [...]