There are a lot of reasons why a city might end up abandoned and empty. Sometimesnatural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions can cause enough devastation to force a mass evacuation. Other cities have been abandoned due to economic collapse or a mistake in planning, with some cities being built up only for the sake of having large-scale construction projects in order to keep the economy on the up and up. We scoured the globe to bring you the 5 scariest cities to explore on Google Earth! Let’s begin!

5. Chaiten, Chile
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Chaiten, located in Chile, was once the site of a busy and bustling community. Today, nobody remains in this ghost town. The reason why makes perfect sense, really. In 2008 the nearby volcano came to life and suddenly erupted, forcing the evacuation of the inhabitants. We’re sure that nobody objected considering the alternative of potentially being overrun by lava flows. The village has remained completely uninhabited since, with inhabitants reluctant to move back due to concerns about safety. The government has been happy to let the village sit undisturbed, although the appearance of graffiti across many of the abandoned houses and buildings suggests that people do pass through from time to time, although it’s clear that the area isn’t worth investing in anytime soon.

4. Namie, Japan
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When the Fukushima nuclear power plant famously failed in the aftermath of a massive earthquake in 2011 the surrounding countryside was covered with radioactive ash and other material, leaving the area completely uninhabitable. Nuclear fallout is no joke and Namie was one of the evacuated areas. While this city isn’t quite in ruins yet, nature is slowly moving in and taking over. Given enough time, we expect to see this city completely disappear. Given the fact that it will remain radioactive for centuries, it will be an interesting study to see what plant and animal life is able to adapt to such a hostile environment.

3. East St Louis, Illinois
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This city is undoubtedly tough. Named the most violent place in the world at one point, it is now basically deserted. A few residents still eke a living there, while barely keeping their heads above water. It’s amazing that anyone would actually opt to stay in a place like this. With some pretty eerie sights made up of completely deserted homes and streets, East St Louis is made even more depressing due to the fact that it used to be a commercial hub until the railway industry tanked. Highways were planned without the city in mind and it slowly fell into ruin.

2. Craco, Italy

This ancient city, perched atop a steep cliff with a gorgeous view of the Italian countryside below. It has a storied history, changing hands many times. It was an important military post for a while and was even used as a prison for a time. Unfortunately, the locals had to abandon their home due to earthquakes and serious erosion making their home increasingly unsafe. Mudslides were becoming more prevalent and the added worry of obtaining supplies was taking its toll. After remaining relevant for hundreds of years, the city was finally abandoned, although it is now an immensely popular tourist attraction. People from all over the world visit year-round to tour the unique city and experience it’s incredible views for themselves.

1. Pripyat, Ukraine

Another victim of the failure of a nuclear power plant, Craco is found in Ukraine, not far from Chernobyl. Well within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, which is the 30km radius around the old power plant. It was a sprawling city and a feather in Russia’s cap until 1986 when it had to be permanently evacuated. The city remains almost exactly the way it did back then. Cleanups have taken place, carefully overseen by the Russian government, but no move will be made to conduct any proper cleanup until the area is deemed safe for public use. That could take a while. Unlike Japan’s Fukushima failure, Chernobyl did occur long enough ago for wildlife to begin making its way back into the area. The animals seem to be doing quite well these days and are increasing in number, which is a pleasant surprise.

Background Music: Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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