Wednesday, December 17, 2025
ADVT 
International

World's fourth largest sea dried up completely: NASA

Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Sep, 2014 10:35 AM
    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.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Chelsea Clinton quits her job at NBC News; last story to air Sunday

    Chelsea Clinton quits her job at NBC News; last story to air Sunday
    NEW YORK, N.Y. - Chelsea Clinton said Friday she is quitting her job as a reporter at NBC News, citing increased work at the Clinton Foundation and the imminent birth of her first child

    Chelsea Clinton quits her job at NBC News; last story to air Sunday

    Chaos In Islamabad: Dozens Injured In Violent Clashes, Police Fire Tear Gas On Protesters

    Chaos In Islamabad: Dozens Injured In Violent Clashes, Police Fire Tear Gas On Protesters
    Police in the Pakistani capital city fired tear gas shells to disperse thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistani Awami Tehreek (PAT) supporters as they were marching towards the prime minister's house late Saturday.

    Chaos In Islamabad: Dozens Injured In Violent Clashes, Police Fire Tear Gas On Protesters

    US Sikhs, Lawmakers Protest Basketball Ban On Turbans

    US Sikhs, Lawmakers Protest Basketball Ban On Turbans
    Two US lawmakers, including the lone Indian-American Congressman, have joined Sikh community groups in protesting the world basketball body FIBA's...

    US Sikhs, Lawmakers Protest Basketball Ban On Turbans

    Two US residents arrested for posting selfie with friend's corpse

    Two US residents arrested for posting selfie with friend's corpse
    In a bizarre incident, two US citizens were arrested for clicking a selfie with the corpse of their deceased friend who died of a likely drug overdose....

    Two US residents arrested for posting selfie with friend's corpse

    Terrorism a diplomatic asset: Fair is foul, foul is fair

    Terrorism a diplomatic asset: Fair is foul, foul is fair
    The ISIS threat has been around for months. Why was it not nipped in the bud? Obama’s response in the course of a conversation with Thomas Friedman...

    Terrorism a diplomatic asset: Fair is foul, foul is fair

    Political deadlock persists in Pakistan as army plays 'facilitator'

    Political deadlock persists in Pakistan as army plays 'facilitator'
    The talks between the government and representatives of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) failed to break...

    Political deadlock persists in Pakistan as army plays 'facilitator'