The crumbled stone foundations of a once sunken church have reemerged from a lake amid record drought, along with broken tombstones and the ruins of a centuries-old town in the Northern Philippines.
Here, in the reservoir near Pantabangan Dam, 125 miles north of Manilla, children jump and climb among the remains of fallen houses, tourists take selfies, and local fishermen ferry visitors to and from the tiny island that once was fully submerged—but has now resurfaced for the longest span since the reservoir was first filled in the 1970s.
The months of March, April, and May are typically the driest for the archipelago nation. But while the two hydroelectric plants near the dam, in Nueva Ecija province, normally stop operations on May 1, this year they have been shut down early due to the intense drought that has stricken Southeast Asia.
With little rain and spells of intense heat, reported temperatures have hit 99 degrees Fahrenheit while water levels have dropped in the reservoir by 164 feet, down from its highest level of 725 feet.
The reservoir serves as the main water and irrigation source for Nueva Ecija and surrounding provinces, the Guardian reported. Amid the drought, farmers have had to switch from growing rice to vegetables that require less water.
Record heatwaves have also prompted schools to suspend in-class learning and governments to urge populaces to stay indoors in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.
The ruins of Pantabangan town began to resurface in March, and parts of the town that have not touched dry air for decades have now been exposed. Over the years, the rising and falling of water levels have allowed the church spire and parts of the town to surface occasionally. On very rare occasions, the town itself appears above the surface.
Now, the return of the sunken town, which dates back 300 years, has become a small attraction for visitors, some of whom reportedly lived there before the reservoir was developed.
Hundreds of inhabitants of local villages and farms were forcibly removed by the government during the dam’s construction in the 1970s. A number have now returned to ruminate on the past, including Melanie Dela Cruz, 68, who was a teenager when her family was forced from their home.
“I got emotional because I got to recall my old life there,” Ms. Dela Cruz told the Daily Mail. “My heart was overwhelmed because I studied there, I was even born there.”
It has been a boon for locals, who have benefited from tourists drawn by the ruins, including fisherman Nelson Dellera.
“Back then, I was only earning 200 pesos [$3.50] from fishing, but when the tourists arrived, I’m earning 1,500 to 1,800 per day,” Mr. Dellera told The Guardian.
Something of a local legend, the sunken town is famous. It has a following that includes retired nurse Aurea Delos Santos, 61, who arrived to explore its famous church. “When I heard about the sunken church of old Pantabangan town resurfacing, I got excited and wanted to see it,” she told the outlet.
