Villa Epecuén: Ghost town that disappeared without a trace is home to 'world's loneliest man'

There is no end to the mysteries of the universe. Some of these are puzzling such as strange mysterious inscriptions, or ancient objects discovered in Tutankhamun's tomb. Others come attached with promises of hidden fortune, like the Nazi treasure map.

Many of these, especially when it comes to mysteries of nature, might never be solved. As Independent reports, one of the most baffling places in the world is the town called Villa Epecuén in Argentina.

The strange history of Villa Epecuén

The town was submerged into water one fine day, out of the blue. Not just that, the town then re-emerged from its watery grave decades later.

Today, this ghost town is home to one person, who has been dubbed bythe media as 'the loneliest man in the world.'

Villa Epecuén is on the shore of Laguna Epecuén, a beautiful lake with crystal clear waters. The lake became well-known not just for its beauty but also for its therapeutic quality.

So visitors would flock to bathe in the lake, whose mineral-rich waters were believed to treat ailments such as rheumatism, skin conditions, diabetes etc.

But shockingly, in November 1985, after heavy rains, the town was inundated with water. People blame poor management for the catastrophe.

Home of the 'world's loneliest man'

The flooding never stopped, and eventually, the town was abandoned by its residents, and it stayed submerged for 25 years.

The waters finally receded, revealing a crumbling ghost town without a resident.

However, in 2009, a local born resident returned. His name is Pablo Novak. He was born in Villa Epecuén in 1930. Today, the 93-year-old still resides in the town, and is its one and only resident. This is why he has been dubbed 'the loneliest man' in the world.

The story of Villa Epecuén is a searing example of the failure of city planning, and how nature always prevails in the end. Novak tells CNN in an interview,

I thought they were going to rebuild the town, considering its fame, but no one got the motivation to do so.

Read more:

⋙ Mysterious 500-year-old ship from the Elizabethan era discovered on English Channel coast

⋙ Mysterious 80-foot object buried in sand discovered on a beach

⋙ Plumber finds mysterious time-capsule with a note from 1887

Sources used:

Independent: ' Villa Epecuén, Argentina's ghost town'

Express: 'World's 'loneliest man' living alone in ghost town that vanished underwater 25 years ago'

CNN: ' Meet Argentina’s loneliest man'