Only four times since 1963 have you seen the roughly 7,000 year old rock circle, the Dolmen de Guadalperal.
Because although archaeologists discovered it in 1926, the stone circle dubbed Spain’s Stonehenge was flooded when the Valdecañas water reservoir was built in 1963.
But when Spain is now in what it calls its worst drought in 1,200 years and water levels in Valdecañas are historically low, you can see the Stone Circle again. In total, the country’s reservoirs have only 36 percent of normal capacity.
THOUSANDS OF YEARS: Stonehenge Spain, Dolmen de Guadalperal. Photo: Reuters
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– Unique opportunity
In the Extremadura region, it led to new tourist attractions and tourists now flock to the stone circle that researchers say dates back to 5000 BC.
– People leave here satisfied, says Ruben Argenta, who owns a company that offers guided tours of the rocks, to Security.
Manuel Mantilje, one of the visiting tourists, said he heard about the stones through the media
– We see it as a unique opportunity, he told the newspaper.
In Catalonia, the drought also exposed a church. Usually you can only see the top of the church of Sant Roma de Sau, but now tourists can stroll up to the ruins of the church from the 11th century.
– It’s been years since the water level was as low as it is now, one tourist exploring the church told The Guardian.
APPEARS: The ruins of the 11th-century church of Sant Roma de Sau can now be clearly seen. Photo: Reuters/NTB
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– The situation is critical
Earlier this summer, scientists sounded the alarm about the extreme heat and low rainfall in Europe.
Sounding the alarm: – Critical situation
The European Drought Observatory continues to monitor the situation in Europe. As many as 45 percent of the continent’s area is affected by drought, of which 15 percent is categorized as severe, writes Security earlier in August.
– The situation is critical in some areas, the European Commission wrote in a statement.
DRY: Vinuela Reservoir near Malaga has just over 10% capacity Photo: AFP/NTB
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Images from across Spain show a water reservoir with a very low water level. In Spain’s Jaen province, it creates a huge problem for olive production, writes BBC.
The province behind 20 percent of the world’s olive oil weeps for rain.
– The trees should be full of olives now, approaching harvest. But they are empty. And this is the crop that will produce oil for stores next year, farmer Francisco Elvira told the channel.
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