Forcibly Evacuated Cities

Not to be confused with ghost towns, all of these cites were (or are being) evacuated by governments for various reasons.

War and Insurrection

These cities and villages found themselves between warring factions.

Agdam - Modern city of 160,000 people abandoned in 1993 (Google Maps)
Agdam - Modern city of 160,000 people abandoned in 1993

Abandoned city of Varosha / Famagusta (Google Maps)
Abandoned city of Varosha / Famagusta
Greek ghost town of Kayaköy (Google Maps)
Greek ghost town of Kayaköy

Destroyed village Darfur (Google Maps)
Destroyed village Darfur
Destroyed village Darfur (Google Maps)
Destroyed village Darfur

Destroyed village Darfur (Google Maps)
Destroyed village Darfur

Earthquakes

These cities became so damaged by earthquakes that the governments relocated their populations.

Abandoned Town of Poggioreale (Google Maps)
Abandoned Town of Poggioreale

Craco - Abandoned Italian hill top town (Google Maps)
Craco - Abandoned Italian hill top town
Balestrino - Abandoned Italian hill town (Google Maps)
Balestrino - Abandoned Italian hill town

Nuclear Radiation

These homes were polluted by radiation and the populations had to be relocated.

Abandoned city (Google Maps)
Abandoned city
Radioactive dump site (Google Maps)
Radioactive dump site

Pollution

These sites are too polluted to live in anymore.

Love Canal Site (Google Maps)
Love Canal Site
EPA to buy Kansas town (Google Maps)
EPA to buy Kansas town

Fire

This city has a fire smoldering under it.

Centralia - Abandoned because the earth is on fire under it (Google Maps)
Centralia - Abandoned because the earth is on fire under it

Termination of Services

This city became too expensive to operate and the government shut it down.

Kadykchan - Russian ghost town from Soviet era (Google Maps)
Kadykchan - Russian ghost town from Soviet era

Flooding

This city was evacuated to make room for a reservoir.

Previously submerged town uncovered by drought (Google Maps)
Previously submerged town uncovered by drought

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *