NEW YORK: Aral Sea - the giant lake between Kazakhstan in the north and Uzbekistan in the south - has dried up completely, says NASA.
In the early 1900s, the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world.
Today, the vast lake - formed 5.5 million years ago in Central Asia - in the middle of the Kyzylkum desert has shrunk to a level where water is no more visible to the eyes, revealed a series of images from Nasa's Terra satellite.
A massive water diversion project begun by the Soviet Union in the 1960s caused it to shrink dramatically.
"It is likely the first time it has completely dried in 600 years since the diversion of the region's major river Amu Darya to the Caspian Sea," Philip Micklin from the Western Michigan University was quoted as saying in media reports.
According to NASA, this is happening because of low snowpack in the mountains that feed the lake.
Experts predict the giant lake will disappear completely by 2020.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, more than 60 million people live in the Aral region - up fourfold since 1960.
FAQs
The Aral Sea, Before the Streams Ran Dry
What was once called the 4th largest sea in the world? ›
The shallow Aral Sea was once the world's fourth largest body of inland water. The remnants of it nestle in the climatically inhospitable heart of Central Asia, to the east of the Caspian Sea.
What was the fourth largest lake in the world dried up? ›
In 1960, the Aral Sea had been the world's fourth-largest lake with an area of 68,000 km2 (26,000 sq mi) and a volume of 1,100 km3 (260 cu mi). By 1998, it had dropped to 28,687 km2 (11,076 sq mi) and eighth largest.
What sea dried up in 40 years? ›
Environmental experts have rung the death knell for the Aral Sea in Central Asia. The world's fourth largest lake in 1960, the Aral Sea has already shrunk to half its former size - a result of unsustainable cotton cultivation that began less than 40 years ago.
What is the most dried up sea? ›
As the Aral Sea has dried up, fisheries and the communities that depended on them collapsed. The increasingly salty water became polluted with fertilizer and pesticides.
What sea dried up recently? ›
After centuries of being a natural wonder and a tourist hotspot, the Dead Sea has finally dried up. But what seemed like a geological event is turning into a nightmare for the region.
Where is the Dead Sea? ›
The Dead Sea is a landlocked salt lake between Israel and Jordan in southwestern Asia.
What lake in the US dried up? ›
Scorched by the megadrought that has gripped the U.S. southwest for 20 years, Lake Mead is constantly plagued by bouts of drying. The reservoir, which provides essential water to millions of people, is at risk of drying out further with the effects of climate change and water use modification.
What lake is drying up with bodies? ›
And in Lake Mead, just outside Las Vegas, the environmental crisis has led to the discovery of artifacts and even the remains of people who were lost to the waters long ago.
What is the Dead Sea in the Bible? ›
The Dead Sea is referred to in the Bible as the “Salt Sea” and has also been called the Sea of Sodom, the Sea of Lot and the Stinking Sea because of the rotten egg odor created by the sulphur in the water. The sea does not play a major role in the Bible but is referred to in Chronicles II 20 and in Ezekiel.
Once the world's fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea has been broken apart and drying out since the 1950s and '60s, when the Soviet Union diverted two rivers, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, to provide irrigation for farms.
Can you swim in the Dead Sea? ›
The Dead Sea is one of the top 10 places to visit in Jordan, and it attracts tourists throughout the year with its one-of-a-kind salty waters. You can definitely swim in the Dead Sea. Although, understanding the best way to do it and how to approach this salty water is important.
What is the 4th ocean of the world? ›
Historically, there are four named oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. However, most countries - including the United States - now recognize the Southern (Antarctic) as the fifth ocean. The Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian are the most commonly known. The Southern Ocean is the 'newest' named ocean.
What is the name of the water body that was the 4th largest in the world in the 1960s yet today it is only 40% as big as it once was? ›
The Aral Sea in the Soviet Union, formerly the world's fourth largest lake in area, is disappearing. Between 1960 and 1987, its level dropped nearly 13 meters, and its area decreased by 40 percent.
What are the four seas called? ›
The West Sea is Qinghai Lake, the East Sea is the East China Sea, the North Sea is Lake Baikal, and the South Sea is the South China Sea. Two of the seas were symbolic until they were tied to genuine locations during the Han dynasty's wars with the Xiongnu.
What is the fourth ocean? ›
The Southern Ocean also known as the Antarctic area. The Antarctic ocean is the smallest of our oceans and the fourth largest and is full of wildlife and mountains of ice lastly throughout the year.
