What remains of the dried-out Aral Sea, a man-made ecological disaster?

FOCUS © FRANCE 24

Issued on: 19/10/2024 - 

The Aral Sea was once the fourth-largest lake in the world, but today all that remains of it is a vast desert wasteland. In the 1950s, the Soviet Union began diverting the rivers that fed the Aral Sea for cotton production, and over time, it dried out. Sixty years later, it has lost 90 percent of its volume, which is having a devastating impact on local communities. Yet some are trying their best to bounce back from this man-made ecological disaster. Our France 2 colleagues travelled to the vast reaches of the Aral Sea to meet some of these tenacious individuals. They bring us this report, with FRANCE 24's Lauren Bain.