Atlantis is one of the most famous cities ever to be lost underwater. Many books and movies have been made about cities rumored to have disappeared in a day. In recent years, science fiction has become fact, as several underwater cities have been discovered in various parts of the world. Today, we will go over some underwater cities that were not so lost as Atlantis.
Just like Atlantis, these cities are below sea level and would be considered underwater cities. The following list is a compilation of underwater cities, towns, or villages that are either currently submerged or lost the majority of their population during one of their periodic floods. Many of these cities are not very well known, but they should be. It is quite a tragedy that so many people were lost.
10 Dwarka, India
In ancient times, Dwarka was a legendary city swallowed by the sea but re-emerged before the onset of Kali Yuga, an epoch associated with Lord Krishna. It is mentioned in Mahabharata and many other historical texts. In the Puranas, it has been referred to as Hiranyapura, a golden city submerged in the ocean by Satyavrata Manu, the progenitor of humankind. The remnants of this great city are believed to be off the coast of modern-day Dwarka, Gujarat. Evidence suggests that it could have been submerged around 10,000 years ago.
9 Port Royal, Jamaica
Port Royal was the first city of importance that England founded in the new world. It became known as “the richest and wickedest city in the world.” It was home to pirates, buccaneers, and housed 1600 buildings with 20,000 permanent residents. Rituals for sailors who died at sea were carried out in its church. By 1692, this great city had been reduced from a town of 6,000 people to only 300. The reason for this is the massive earthquake that hit Port Royal, causing it to sink into the ocean. According to many locals, there are still pirate treasures buried somewhere under what is now dry-land.
8 Pyramids Of Yonaguni Jima, Japan
According to Japan's public broadcasting organization NHK, the ancient pyramids on the island of Yonaguni Jima are artificial structures. Deepwater currents have caused the formations to become overgrown with algae, and it is very difficult to make out their original shape. They were probably underwater about 5000 years ago when an earthquake or a tsunami submerged them. Despite that, many Japanese scholars dismiss this theory, claiming that they are natural formations created by wind, rain, and currents.
7 The City Of Atlantis, Atlantic Ocean
Plato was the first one to mention this city in his texts written around 360 BC. According to this ancient Greek philosopher, there was an advanced civilization that lived on Atlantis. The island's size and prosperity supposedly led to jealousy among the gods causing them to flood it, which caused all of its inhabitants to perish. Many have tried searching for the lost city of Atlantis, but no one has found any trace of it. However, people say that you can still see the remains of streets, temples, and other structures on a full moon.
6 Lion City, China
This ancient city, known as Shi Cheng, was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-200 AD). In 1959, a group of Chinese scientists was about to start their work when they noticed that water levels in the area where Shi Cheng used to stand were rising. When researchers investigated further, they realized that the area was sinking and the entire city was going underwater. In 2001, researchers flew over the area and saw a giant space beneath Shi Cheng. This is how they discovered that it's not only the city that sank but also an entire mountain!
5 Pavlopetri, Greece
For the last 50 years, Greek archeologists have been excavating an ancient city at least 4500-years-old. They assumed it was a Minoan settlement until 2008 when sonar proved them wrong. Using this method, they discovered entire streets and structures thought to be at least 1,000 years older than they originally believed. Researchers believe that the city was submerged around 1000 BC when a powerful earthquake shook the region. The ancient city of Pavlopetri is protected by the Greek government and is not open to tourists or visitors.
4 Villa Epecuén, Argentina
The original plans for Villa Epecuen were to create Argentina's largest saltwater resort. In 1928, the 5,000 inhabitants of nearby Lago Epecuen moved to Villa Epecuen, a tourist town built on the side of a lake that contained ten times more salt than the ocean.
In 1985, heavy rains made the nearby lake overflow into Villa Epecuen, and it quickly submerged most of the buildings. The water has receded, but its level is still so high that people can now only see the roofs of some houses.
3 Thonis-Heracleion and Alexandria, Egypt
In 2000, Egyptian archaeologists discovered a 1,000-year-old city buried 30 feet underwater. It is believed that multiple earthquakes submerged the cities around the 8th century AD. It took years to excavate, and in 2014 they opened their findings for everyone to see. The ancient city of Thonis-Heracleion contained different Egyptian deities and signs that linked it to Alexandria.
2 San Roma de Sau, Spain
This small town in Spain was completely submerged by water after a dam was built in 1959. Before it disappeared, San Roma de Sau had about 500 inhabitants relocated to other parts of Spain. After the reservoir was drained in 2011 for maintenance purposes, researchers took another look at the area and realized that there are still remains of houses and buildings at the bottom of the reservoir. Those who love diving are lucky because they can witness this amazing city first-hand!
1 The Lost Villages, Canada
In the 1950s and 60s, after plans to build a series of hydroelectric dams were approved, ten villages were submerged in Canada. Families that lived there had to be relocated, and houses, cemeteries, and churches were also flooded. Today, there isn't much left of these villages except for some roads and buildings that have been gradually eroded by water. Nevertheless, the memory of those who lived in these places remains alive through pictures and memories.