How Did A Sea Disappear?

Описание: The Aral Sea, once the world’s fourth largest lake, has almost disappeared in just 40 years. Situated between southern Kazakhstan and northern Uzbekistan, this salt lake was dealt a devastating blow in the mid 20th century when the soviet government controlled this region. In an effort to create farmland by irrigating the surrounding desert regions, the soviets diverted two vital rivers that fed into the Aral Sea, but diverting these rivers deprived the lake of crucial water sources. The area’s once-thriving fishing communities watched as their livelihood dried up. A few years into the 21st century, just 10% of the sea remained. Today entire generations have no recollection of its former glory but there is hope. In 2005 the World Bank funded the construction of new dams, in an effort to save the lake. Thanks to this work, a small section of the sea has returned, and fishermen are once again able to bring in catches - albeit much smaller quantities. Despite this progress, there’s still a long way to go to transform what is still largely a desolate ship graveyard.

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