Dust Blowing Over Sarygamysh Lake, Uzbekistan
43.2N 57.5E
Uzbekistan – June 16th, 2013
Significant desertification, characterized by degradation of the land and natural resources to the point that they can no longer be used, has been occurring in the region around the Aral Sea. A decline in the groundwater level in the deltas of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers has contributed to the piling up of salt at the surface, resulting in the death of plants. The death of vegetation, in turn, has resulted in intensified winds, causing more dust storms in the area. Here, dust can be seen blowing across Sarygamysh Lake, in Uzbekistan, southwest of the Aral Sea.
