Abandoned 'ghost village' in China becomes overgrown Published duration 8 June 2018

Shengshan island in China's eastern Zhejiang province is home to Houtouwan, an abandoned village that has become overgrown with thick green vegetation.

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Agence France-Presse photojournalist Johannes Eisele went to Houtouwan to capture these extraordinary aerial photos.

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The tiny island was once home to a bustling fishing village with more than 2,000 fishermen and their families housed in more than 500 homes.

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The remoteness of the island meant that the standards of education and quality of food deliveries suffered.

Residents started to leave the island in the early 1990s in search of a better life.

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By 1994 almost everyone had left, and only a few villagers remain today.

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Over the years lush vegetation reclaimed the buildings, making the isolated island a popular tourist destination.

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image copyright AFP

image copyright AFP

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