PHOTOS: Historic Mexican Church Uncovered from Water After 40 Years

A 19th-century church has been unearthed from the waters of a central Mexican lake after being submerged for more than 40 years.

The result of this phenomenon was caused by a recent drought that had been afflicting the region.

Severe drought has exposed the Virgen de los Dolores Temple in Guanajuato, Mexico. Built in 1898, it was flooded 40 years ago to build a dam
Credit: Luis Ramirez/EPA pic.twitter.com/xhwCGKVJcZ

— Pixiedust (@PixiedustJtT) May 6, 2021

The Church of the Virgin of Dolores was hidden from view in 1979 when the Purisima Dam was built, burying the colonial community of El Zangarro, Mexico News Daily reported.

“Oral history tells us that it was very difficult for them to leave the place, not just because of the buildings, but because of the sense of belonging to the place,” said Dulce Vazquez, director of the local municipal archives.

“A few resisted until they saw it was already a reality that the water would arrive and cover the entire town,” Vazquez told Mexico’s Spanish-language Milenio newspaper.

⛪️ El Templo de la Virgen de los Dolores en el estado de #Guanajuato sobrevive entre el agua y los peces como único testigo de un pueblo que fue inundado hace más de 40 años y que ahora, a raíz de las sequías que afectan al país, ha quedado de nuevo al descubierto. pic.twitter.com/58Q5GVro1r

— La Voz de Michoacán (@vozmichoacan) May 5, 2021

But a recent drought that has afflicted the city of Guanajuato and the local area has brought back the church into its former glory.