阿根廷「末日鬼城」曾遭滅頂20年 居民僅剩1人 疫情下重迎遊客

阿根廷南部小鎮「埃佩昆」(Epecuén),1985年暴風及洪水淹沒了村莊,2009年才因水退重見天日。圖片來源:AP
遊客8日在阿根廷南部小鎮「埃佩昆」(Epecuén)的主要幹道上行走。圖片來源:AP (AP)

阿根廷南部小鎮「埃佩昆」(Epecuén)建於1920年代,緊鄰埃佩昆湖,湖水鹽度高,礦物質含量也高,據稱可用於治療風濕病及皮膚病,一度是著名的SPA溫泉勝地,未料1985年的一場暴風及洪水淹沒了村莊,自此全鎮滅頂長達20多年。直至2009年左右湖水完全退去,斷垣殘壁、布滿瓦礫的街道及已經石化的樹木重見天日,充滿著被侵蝕的痕跡,反而讓埃佩昆搖身一變成為知名旅遊景點。然而,這兩年由於新冠肺炎疫情讓街道重回寂靜,直至最近阿根廷疫情趨緩,10月初數百名遊客終於重回「末日鬼城」

Lone inhabitant Pablo Novak, aged 85, rides his bike by a ruined house in the Epecuen Village, November 6, 2015.  Over the past few years the town of Epecuen, located 550 km (341 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires, has been attracting tourists with its eerie apocalyptic atmosphere after a flood submerged it in salt water for more than two decades. Originally a busy lakeside tourist village in the 1920s renowned for its saltwater baths, Epecuen came to a sudden end in November 10, 1985 when a succession of rainy winters caused Lago Epecuen to overflow and water surged through a special retaining wall and into the town. Residents and tourists were forced to evacuate and in just a few days homes and buildings were covered by almost 10 meters (33 feet) of salt water. Now, 30 years on, the water has evaporated and former residents can walk amidst the rusted out ruins of what was once their town. Picture taken November 6, 2015. REUTERS/Enrique Marcarian
圖為2015年時的Pablo Novak,與狗狗騎著自行車在埃佩昆閒晃。圖片來源:REUTERS (Enrique Marcarian / reuters)

據維基百科資料,埃佩昆小鎮鼎盛時期曾有1500名居民,從1950年代到1970年代,埃佩昆有多達280個商家,每年11月至3月期間還能吸引約25,000名遊客。如今僅存唯一的居民為老翁「Pablo Novak」,他1930年代時出生於埃佩昆,2009年回到家鄉。2013年一部名為「Pablo's Villa」的紀錄片,如實拍攝Pablo在這「末日鬼城」的生活。

遊客薩巴塔莉(Silvia Sabatelli)說這是她2020年3月來第一次出門旅遊,「這裡有一種特殊的能量,氣氛陰鬱,但風景很美。」也有遊客說,雖然「鬼城」令人感到悲傷與憂鬱,但在艱難的疫情時刻,能有一處格外安靜的所在可以去也滿令人高興的;其特殊的風景也成為許多電影或MV中的取景地,而阿根廷眾議院2019年曾提議將該處列為國家遺址,但參議院尚未拍板。

阿根廷南部小鎮「埃佩昆」(Epecuén),1985年暴風及洪水淹沒了村莊,2009年才因水退重見天日。圖片來源:AP
遊客7日在樹木下的長凳休息。圖片來源:AP (AP)
Visitors tour by ruined houses in the onetime spa and resort town Epecuen, November 5, 2015.  Over the past few years the town of Epecuen, located 550 km (341 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires, has been attracting tourists with its eerie apocalyptic atmosphere after a flood submerged it in salt water for more than two decades. Originally a busy lakeside tourist village in the 1920s renowned for its saltwater baths, Epecuen came to a sudden end in November 10, 1985 when a succession of rainy winters caused Lago Epecuen to overflow and water surged through a special retaining wall and into the town. Residents and tourists were forced to evacuate and in just a few days homes and buildings were covered by almost 10 meters (33 feet) of salt water. Now, 30 years on, the water has evaporated and former residents can walk amidst the rusted out ruins of what was once their town. Picture taken November 5, 2015. REUTERS/Enrique Marcarian
圖片為2015年時遊客散步埃佩昆小鎮,圖片來源:REUTERS (Enrique Marcarian / reuters)
A ruined house is pictured in the onetime spa and resort town of Epecuen, November 6, 2015.  Over the past few years the town of Epecuen, located 550 km (341 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires, has been attracting tourists with its eerie apocalyptic atmosphere after a flood submerged it in salt water for more than two decades. Originally a busy lakeside tourist village in the 1920s renowned for its saltwater baths, Epecuen came to a sudden end in November 10, 1985 when a succession of rainy winters caused Lago Epecuen to overflow and water surged through a special retaining wall and into the town. Residents and tourists were forced to evacuate and in just a few days homes and buildings were covered by almost 10 meters (33 feet) of salt water. Now, 30 years on, the water has evaporated and former residents can walk amidst the rusted out ruins of what was once their town. Picture taken November 6, 2015. REUTERS/Enrique Marcarian
埃佩昆一景,圖片來源:REUTERS (Enrique Marcarian / reuters)

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