Villa Epecuen was once a popular Argentinian spa town and resort on the shore of a salt lake south of Buenos Aires, but this came to an end on 10 November 1985, when the town was flooded. After a period of heavy rains, the lake overflowed and surged through the retaining wall built to protect the town. Residents and tourists were forced to evacuate as homes and buildings were submerged under almost 10m (33ft) of salt water.

Now, 30 years after it was flooded, the water has evaporated, and the drowned town has risen from the waters. Villa Epecuen has become a popular tourist attraction again, as people come to take in the eerie apocalyptic atmosphere. IBTimes UK presents photos of this real-life Atlantis.

Epecuen Argentina
An information board in front of a damaged house shows what it looked like before and during the flood Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
A man compares a picture of Epecuen taken in the 1970s with the same scene in May 2011 Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
Postcard photos thought to be taken in 1980 show tourists holidaying in Epecuen
Epecuen Argentina
Epecuen Argentina
A photo of a street in Epecuen during the flooding event
Epecuen Argentina
The wall that was meant to protect the town from flooding is seen in this aerial photo taken in 2011 Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
An aerial photo taken in May 2011 shows some water remaining in the village Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
The town's lone inhabitant Pablo Novak, aged 85, rides his bike past a ruined house Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
The town's sole inhabitant Pablo Novak is pictured in his kitchen in May 2011 Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
Mirta Estoessel sits on the rubble of her former home Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
Viviana Castro places a plaque with the name of the former owner on a ruined house in Epecuen Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
An information board in front of a damaged house shows what it looked like in the 1970s Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
A rusty car is pictured in the former spa and resort town Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
Dead trees are pictured in the mud and salty water at sunset Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
A shoe is seen embedded in the mud Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
Epecuen Argentina
May 2011: Sunlight glints on the receding flood water Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
A rusty old car rises from the water in this photo taken in May 2011 Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
Water-damaged crucifixes are seen in the formerly-flooded cemetery in Carhue, near Epecuen Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
A broken toilet is seen amid the ruins of a collapsed building in May 2011 Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
Rusty beds are seen poking through the ruins of the village in 2011 Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
A photo taken in May 2011 shows a skull in a damaged grave in a cemetery that was flooded in Carhue, near Lago Epecuen Juan Mabromata/AFP
Epecuen Argentina
Photo taken in May 2011 shows stairways that have re-emerged Juan Mabromata/AFP

In 2014, Scottish street trials cyclist Danny MacAskill visited Villa Epecuen and performed stunts among the ruins:

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