Central Asia's 'Water Tower' Is Drying Up As Glaciers Vanish

Chinese Tourists Drown in Lake Baikal After Van Falls Through Ice

A group of Chinese tourists drowned in eastern Siberia’s Lake Baikal on Friday after their van fell through an ice crevasse, marking the second deadly incident at the popular tourist destination this year.

Central Asia's 'Water Tower' Is Drying Up As Glaciers Vanish

Kyrgyzstan's Lake Issyk-Kul in the Tien-Shan Mountains has been shrinking at an alarming rate over the past decade, receding by up to 10 meters in some places, according to research. One of the world's largest alpine lakes and a vital part of Central Asia's "water tower" is threatened by climate change, drought, and melting glaciers, which have resulted in tributaries feeding the lake drying up.