Friday, December 19, 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

    Indian American officials asked about 'your country','your government'

    Indian American officials asked about 'your country','your government'
    In an extremely awkward incident, a newly elected member of the US House of Representatives mistook two senior Indian American officials of the...

    Indian American officials asked about 'your country','your government'

    Climate change to affect global crop production

    Climate change to affect global crop production
    The world faces a significant risk over the next two decades of a major slowdown in the growth of crop yields because of climate change, new research shows....

    Climate change to affect global crop production

    BMW, Aston Martin to recall defective vehicles

    BMW, Aston Martin to recall defective vehicles
    BMW and Aston Martin Lagonda will recall autos in China over airbag and gearbox problems respectively, China's quality watchdog has said....

    BMW, Aston Martin to recall defective vehicles

    Obama urges Afghan presidential rivals to work together

    Obama urges Afghan presidential rivals to work together
    US President Barack Obama has spoken with the men vying to become Afghanistan's next head of state, encouraging them to follow through with a plan to form...

    Obama urges Afghan presidential rivals to work together

    UN body concerned about impact of Gaza violence on women

    UN body concerned about impact of Gaza violence on women
    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Friday expressed its deep concern about the impact of the ongoing Gaza conflict on women's health and access to safe...

    UN body concerned about impact of Gaza violence on women

    Russian 'gecko sex' satellite lost in space

    Russian 'gecko sex' satellite lost in space
    A Russian satellite with a crew of five lizards sent in space to understand the effects of weightlessness on sexual intercourse has gone missing.

    Russian 'gecko sex' satellite lost in space