Romanian village Diamana sinking in a lake of industrial waste

Romanian village Diamana once luxuriated in the middle of the fertile and green valley, and today lies at a depth of 90 meters under industrial waste. Photographer-traveler and journalist Chappel Amos (Amos Chapple) together with a local photographer Cyprian Chordomas (Ciprian Hord) arrived at the place where 40 years ago were evacuated residents of the village. And only a few remained.

Diamana in the 1970s (Yes, this is the same Church that in the first photo).

In the spring of 1977, the dictator and President of Romania sent geologists with a message to the locals were getting ready to move from their native village. In the mountains, at the foot of which was settled, found a copper Deposit. People have offered compensation for their homes — about two thousand dollars. 300 families from Gemany left his native land and scattered throughout the country.

Work at the mine Rosia Poieni (Rosia Poieni) was carried out in full. She became the second biggest mine-copper mine in Europe.

The authorities built a dam to close the valley Gamany, and water contaminated by industrial waste began to fill the once fertile lands of the villages.

The toxic level of the lake continues to rise at an average of one meter per year.

Some areas of the lake became a place where flows of acid mine drainage.

Despite the fact that the area is completely uninhabitable, not all left their homes.

Maria Prata is one of the 20 villagers who remained. As the lake level rises, the people moved higher into the hills. 70-year-old Maria spent my childhood in Gamane, slept in the barn: "I'm on one side, cows on the other."

In the pictures Maria and her husband. A few years later after the photo was taken, came to the village to geologists. The woman surprisingly calmly responds to the activity of the mines. "What's done is done. The village is destroyed. At least people have a place to work". However, like other remaining residents, she can't forgive the fact that the government broke a promise.

Villagers at the time assured that the graves of their ancestors will be transferred. This did not happen.

Ana Prata cares for the grave of her husband, who died in 2012. A woman wants to be buried here. Grave located on a hill high above the toxic lake, so it did not suffer the sad fate of graves of parents and grandparents Ana.

General Manager of the mine Rosia Poieni speaks to the press on the background of the lake waste. He stated that he knew nothing about the fate of old graves, but assured that the Church near the churchyard will be transferred.

The General Manager said that residents who remained in the valley after they were given monetary compensation, "live in our homes. But we tolerated the situation for as long as they don't interfere with mines."

A local resident told the photographer that the spire of the Church tried to dismantle five years ago. The work was stopped due to the angry protests of local residents. However, the lake level waste continues to rise, and soon in the valley nobody left.