A 300-year-old town in the northern Philippines has resurfaced after it was submerged for the construction of a reservoir. A drought which has lasted for months and extreme heat in recent weeks have caused water in the dam to dry up.

Pantabangan

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently amid rising sea-levels and increasing temperatures.

Climate Crisis

The northern Philippine town of Pantabangan, submerged since 1974 for the creation of a reservoir, has recently resurfaced due to months-long drought and extreme heat waves. This occurrence, unusual for its timing and duration, reveals not only the former town’s structures, including a cemetery, but also the escalating impact of climate change on the region. Parts of the country have experienced record temperatures, exacerbated by the long-lasting El Niño weather pattern, contributing to the rapid evaporation of water in several dams, including the one in Pantabangan.

The reservoir’s diminishing water levels have inadvertently attracted tourists to the area, spotlighting Pantabangan on a global stage. However, locals, including those displaced decades ago for the reservoir's construction, view the phenomenon with concern rather than celebration. The lack of sufficient water in the dam poses significant problems for power generation and irrigation, affecting local agriculture and livelihoods. 

Emisonia Cante, who was relocated as a toddler when the town was initially submerged, expressed mixed feelings about seeing her birthplace resurface. While there is a certain allure in witnessing history unearthed, the broader implications for the community and the environment are distressing. The situation reflects a more extensive concern about the sustainability of water resources and the potential long-term effects of climate change on vulnerable areas.



Town resurfaces after three centuries due to extreme heat

of a centuries-old town, very much still in place after half a century underwater. Since Pantabangan in the northern Philippines was submerged in 1974 to build a reservoir, it's resurfaced a few times, but never this early in the year and this long. When the dam's water level drops, we usually see the cross, but only the cross. Now it's an entire area of the town, including the cemetery. It's a dry season in the Philippines, but experts say climate change is aggravating the effects. Parts of the country have seen record heat in recent weeks, and the El Niño weather pattern has lingered for months. It hasn't rained within the watershed areas of our dams, and in addition to that, water evaporates quicker because of the extreme heat. One unintended benefit, however, has been the growing number of tourists. While the town of Pantabangan is gaining worldwide fame for its re-emergence from underwater, locals say they're not celebrating, because the dam doesn't have enough water to generate power and provide irrigation. Emisonia Cante was two years old when the government moved the entire town. Although I'm happy to be able to see my birthplace, I'm sadder because I worry about how this could affect our farmers. Visitors are amazed, but say they're just as concerned. Seeing this now, it's really interesting, but it's also scary for the future, if it's a trend that's going to happen going forward. It's scary for those who live around it right now, because it isn't just the remnants of the old town that's disappeared, but an entire patch of green and brown, where water used to flow, and boats now abandoned, used to sail. Used to sail. Barnabilo, Algeciras, Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, the Philippines

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Climate Crisis