(Map of Aral Sea. Source: World Bank)
Recently, Aral Sea
has been experiencing tenth fold drying from its normal size which is the most shocking and greatest disasters that happens in modern history. Ninety percent of its water level shrunk when majority of its portion had been diverted by a Soviet project for an increase production of cotton product. For the last 50 years, Aral Sea has unlimited water resources and its drying is a critical one. It's more than 30 years now or since 1973 to 2000 the lake changes where 60 percent of which disappeared. Its evaporation left a very salty sand layer that carries wind as far as Scandinavia and Japan which might cause health problems to the affecting communities.
has unlimited water resources and its drying is a critical one. It's more than 30 years now or since 1973 to 2000 the lake changes where 60 percent of which disappeared. Its evaporation left a very salty sand layer that carries wind as far as Scandinavia and Japan which might cause health problems to the affecting communities. Aral Sea is the fourth largest lake in the world located in North Kazakhstan and Southern Uzbekistan, Central Asia which fed by two major rivers of Amu Darya in the South and Syr Darya in the North.It has a spanned of 70,000 km² with a total volume of more than 1 trillion cubic meters (1,000 cubic km) in 1960.
is the fourth largest lake in the world located in North Kazakhstan and Southern Uzbekistan, Central Asia which fed by two major rivers of Amu Darya in the South and Syr Darya in the North.It has a spanned of 70,000 km² with a total volume of more than 1 trillion cubic meters (1,000 cubic km) in 1960.The bountiful sea provided annual catches of about 50,000 tons without fail. The scenic deltas of major tributaries, dotted with dozens of smaller lakes, were rich wetlands and marshes teeming with life, covering an area larger than half a million hectares.
Ambassador of Uzbekistan Alisher Vohidov said, "Aral Sea, once the fourth largest lake in the world experienced depreciation tenth its normal size. Unlimited usage of water resources during the last 50 years, which began in the Soviet era, has resulted in one of the greatest disasters in modern history, drying up one of the most beautiful natural water dam on our planet, Aral Sea."
, once the fourth largest lake in the world experienced depreciation tenth its normal size. Unlimited usage of water resources during the last 50 years, which began in the Soviet era, has resulted in one of the greatest disasters in modern history, drying up one of the most beautiful natural water dam on our planet, Aral Sea."The volume of Aral Sea has shrunk almost 10-fold while the water level has shrunk more than 4-fold. The surface water dropped to more than 29 meters and the shoreline shifted to tens of kilometers," Vohidov added.
Experts agree that the current situation of Aral Sea should not be tolerated and officials in the said region should find resort to prevent its continuous drying.
should not be tolerated and officials in the said region should find resort to prevent its continuous drying.See images below:
Aral Sea captured by MODIS on NASA's Aqua Satellite-true-color image dated March 26, 2010.
Source: NASA/Modis website.
This is the natural color satellite image of the Aral Sea on August 16, 2008. The colored contours lines show the approximate shorelines of the sea since 2000. Source: NASA/Modis.
Two images of Aral Sea. Left: 2008; Right: 1989
Source: NASA/Modis
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