The Aral Sea (continued)

Secondly, the salinity in the Aral Sea has immensely increased over the years. The soil has become so salty that this stops any wildlife or plants from growing. A handful of “sand” in what once the Aral Sea consists of as much sea shells and salt as it does sand.

Thirdly, huge dust storms blow the salt, saline soil, and any chemicals across the lands and to other parts of the world. Cotton, the major crop, required the admixture of large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides. As a result, some two cubic kilometres of toxic runoff entered the Amu Darya river every year, “dramatically worsening” drinking water quality. (De Villiers)

Other chemicals that were once in the Aral Sea could now be spread to the surrounding countries through dust storms. The vast area of exposed seabed is laced with pesticides, so when the wind blows, dust storms spread salt and toxic substances over hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres. It's estimated that 75 million tonnes of toxic dust and salts are spread across Central Asia each year. If the Aral Sea dries up completely, 15 billion tonnes of salt will be left behind (Orexca.com)

“What appears to be snow on the seabed is really salt. The winds blow this as far as the Himalayas” (Welsh.)

The distance from the Aral Sea to the Himalayas is over 2,500 km! It is clear that the disaster of the Aral Sea affects more than just the closest environments around the sea but even those as far away as the Himalayas – and contaminated environments also affect the people in those locations. The soil is being damaged by the quantities of salt and chemicals being blown their way. The people are being damaged by their environment.

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