Sunken city of Igarata begins to emerge as Brazil's drought sees water levels plummet

A sunken town in Brazil has re-emerged, with old structures, ruins and trees surfacing as water levels drop further.

The old city of Igarata has been submerged since 1969 after the government dammed the Jaguari River near Sao Paulo. It was flooded after construction began on plants to generate energy for the Vale do Paraiba region.

However, with Brazil in the grips of one of the worst droughts in its recent history, parts of the town have started reappearing.

Water levels in the Jaguari River in Sao Paulo are now about 30m below normal levels.

Locals say you can see the ruined structures of the church, a square, old benches and the main street. Former residents have said they have mixed feelings about the town re-emerging after almost half a century.

"It brings me happiness in some ways, but it's also very sad," Irene De Almedia said. "Happiness because the things that were around when I was a child are re-emerging form the water, but sadness because of the lack of water."

Brazil is facing its worst drought since 1930, with over 90 cities imposing water and electricity rationing as a result. The drought has affected about four million people, and experts are concerned it will push the country back into recession, with agricultural industries badly affected.

"Since records for Brazil's south-eastern region began 84 years ago we have never seen such a delicate and worrying situation," the country's Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, told the BBC.