Lago Epecuén in central Argentina has the world's second highest salt content after the Dead Sea. To use the salt, Villa Epecuén was founded in 1921. After the therapeutic effects of the water became known, mass tourism began and the city grew rapidly. Especially World War II caused the number of tourists to increase, as the European health resorts were now hardly accessible. A direct rail link from Buenos Aires was established.
Heavy rains that lasted for weeks brought the only drain that was much too small and poorly maintained to its limits in 1985. The water level in the lake rose and finally caused the clay dams to break in several places. The city was flooded within hours and had to be abandoned.
The region has been experiencing unusual drought for several years now, so that the water has been withdrawing since 2009, opening up ever larger areas of the completely destroyed city. The quasi-skeletonized objects, vehicles and furniture testify to the great hurry in which the city once had to be left.