After several decades underwater, a church in central Mexico is now resurfacing due to droughts in the country, local news sites reported this week.

The Virgen de los Dolores church and the surrounding town were flooded more than 40 years ago to build a dam in the area.

In recent years, the church has become a tourist attraction as the water levels in the dam dipped.

The Catholic church is believed to have been built in the mid-19th century.

The neoclassical building had been the heart of the community in the town and even housed some local government offices.

The town was relocated after a presidential decree in 1979 to build a dam in the area.