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In Venezuela, a village on stilts slowly succumbs to mud
Only about 10 families, out of 200 who once lived there, are still in their homes. The village once was buoyant and loud; now, it's dead quiet.
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Aerial view of stilt houses in Congo Mirador, Zulia state, Venezuela, on September 6, 2021. (AFP/Federico Parra)
C
ongo Mirador was once an idyllic spot: a community of homes on stilts that seemed to float on the calm waters of a lagoon in western Venezuela. Now, the community is inundated with mud, a victim of silt generated by the Catatumbo river.
Most of its residents have left, and Congo Mirador is slowly fading away.
The river's source is in Colombia, and it flows into Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo, one of the biggest lakes in South America.
The Catatumbo's path has been diverted numerous times over the years, slowly sending muddy sediment, plant life, tree branches and other debris into the village -- to the point where it has been overwhelmed by the mess.
Where once there were fish, now there are weeds.
"There was a magnificent lake, and now it's become a jungle," laments Euclides Villasmil, one of the few residents of Congo Mirador who has remained there.
Only about 10 families, out of 200 who once lived there, are still in their homes. The village once was buoyant and loud; now, it's dead quiet.
