Monday, December 22, 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

    EU delivers 100 mn euros of aid to Ukraine

    EU delivers 100 mn euros of aid to Ukraine
    The European Union (EU) Tuesday disbursed its first loan tranche of 100 million euros ($137 million) to Ukraine, marking the start of its financial assistance to the country.

    EU delivers 100 mn euros of aid to Ukraine

    Pakistan's Geo TV faces ban

    Pakistan's Geo TV faces ban
    Pakistani authorities have suspended the licences of three television channels owned by the Geo TV network, a leading daily reported Tuesday.

    Pakistan's Geo TV faces ban

    32 children burnt to death in in Colombia

    32 children burnt to death in in Colombia
    The fire broke out in the bus when they were returning from an event at an evangelical Christian church near the city of Fundacion, 750 km north of Bogota.

    32 children burnt to death in in Colombia

    First Look: New York's Times Square resounds to 'Modi, Modi!'

    First Look: New York's Times Square resounds to 'Modi, Modi!'
    Indian-Americans across the country are celebrating Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party's historic win with party supporters planning victory processions and lighting of "diyas" for three nights.

    First Look: New York's Times Square resounds to 'Modi, Modi!'

    Damaged underwater vehicle, searching for MH370, reaches port

    Damaged underwater vehicle, searching for MH370, reaches port
    The ADV Ocean Shield and the Bluefin-21 have been deployed for the ongoing search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia.

    Damaged underwater vehicle, searching for MH370, reaches port

    Pakistan army chief to meet Afghan, NATO commanders

    Pakistan army chief to meet Afghan, NATO commanders
    Pakistani army chief General Raheel Sharif will visit Afghanistan Monday to discuss war against terrorism and security situation with top Afghan and NATO commanders.

    Pakistan army chief to meet Afghan, NATO commanders