OYANNEWS :The average depth of the lake dropped to 2 from 14 meters, said head of Research Group of Desertification Components Mohammad Darvhish, APA reports quoting Oyannews.

According to him, two thirds of Lake Urmia has turned into saline land: “The area of the lake, when it was full of water, was 540,000 ha, but its area decreased by 360-390 000 ha because of the lack of water supply. For this reason, we can they that two thirds of Lake Urmia has dried up.”

Darvish said that Binab, Maragha and Ajab Shir cities can be subjected to salt winds due to winds blowing from the east to the west: “These salt winds will damage sown areas, at the same time cane pose a threat to the health of local residents.”

Head of the Iranian Agriculture Ministry’s Department on the Eastern Azerbaijan Province, Masoud Mohhamadian said that water of the wells close to Lake Urmia is salty: “If this situation deteriorates, 204-ha planted areas of 7 towns of the Eastern Azerbaijan province near Lake Urmia can turn into saline soil.”

Real Jafarli – APA