Aral Lake was once the world’s 4th largest lake. It has shrunk by 90%; the rivers that fed into it were diverted to boost cotton production. The drying up has emerged a sea of ghost ships and ruined the economy of the locals.
It is clearly one of the worst disasters, environmental disasters of the world. I was so shocked.
Here is a video of the Aral Sea when hopes were a bit higher. In it a man reminisces about the times when they could fish off the boats. June 2007
And an even harsher present reality
LR Politics 