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

    Hillary Clinton faults Obama's foreign policy

    Hillary Clinton faults Obama's foreign policy
    Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in an interview published Sunday, blamed President Barack Obama's faulty foreign policy for the rise of Islamic militants in both Syria and Iraq....

    Hillary Clinton faults Obama's foreign policy

    Israel and Hamas accept Egyptian cease-fire proposal, clearing way for resumption of talks

    Israel and Hamas accept Egyptian cease-fire proposal, clearing way for resumption of talks
    Israel and the Hamas militant group accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal Sunday, clearing the way for the resumption of talks on a long-term truce to end a month...

    Israel and Hamas accept Egyptian cease-fire proposal, clearing way for resumption of talks

    Hurricane Julio not expected to threaten Hawaii days after tropical storm damages Big Island

    Hurricane Julio not expected to threaten Hawaii days after tropical storm damages Big Island
    The National Weather Service says Hurricane Julio continues to move away from Hawaii and will not pose a threat on the heels of a damaging tropical storm....

    Hurricane Julio not expected to threaten Hawaii days after tropical storm damages Big Island

    Shiite alliance dumps al-Maliki as prime minister, chooses different candidate

    Shiite alliance dumps al-Maliki as prime minister, chooses different candidate
    The head of Iraq's National Shiite Alliance says it has chosen an alternate nominee for prime minister instead of incumbent Nouri al-Maliki...

    Shiite alliance dumps al-Maliki as prime minister, chooses different candidate

    2 slain, 5 hurt in New Orleans neighbourhood shooting, part of violent weekend for city

    2 slain, 5 hurt in New Orleans neighbourhood shooting, part of violent weekend for city
    A shooting Sunday in a New Orleans neighbourhood that has struggled with crime since being ravaged by Hurricane Katrina left two people killed...

    2 slain, 5 hurt in New Orleans neighbourhood shooting, part of violent weekend for city

    Letter found in Bin Laden's hideout warns of IS brutality

    Letter found in Bin Laden's hideout warns of IS brutality
    A letter found at slain Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan warned of the rise of a new Islamic extremist group capable of extreme brutality...

    Letter found in Bin Laden's hideout warns of IS brutality