Ghost lake

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Aral Sea was twice the size of Lake Baikal. Now, a desert stands in its place. This saltwater lake was fed by the largest rivers in Central Asia. But since the 1960s, the waters of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers were redirected for irrigation. As a result, the Aral Sea began to shrink rapidly. Without a new influx of water, the salt concentration increased dramatically. All the fish perished. The lake’s shrinkage exacerbated droughts and caused salty dust storms. The lack of quality water led to widespread illness among the local people, and child mortality rates soared. Is it possible to save the Aral Sea today?

Watch “Ghost lake” on RTD website and on RT’s live feed. The time of the broadcast is available on RT’s schedule page.