As the waters of Lake Van receded due to drought, microbialite rock formations - known among the people as "the chimneys of sunken fairies" - began to appear on the shores of the lake in Bitlis, eastern Turkey.
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey and locals call it the Sea of Van due to its vastness (Anatolia)
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, and locals call it the Sea of Van because of its vastness.
The increase in evaporation rates due to the high temperature and the lack of precipitation, led to a decrease in the water level in the lake.
According to data from the state's General Department of Water, the microbialite and some other rock formations formed over thousands of years appeared on the banks of Argesh, Adremit and Gouache overlooking Lake Wan, with the water level in the lake dropping to its lowest level in 20 years.
Nature lovers and photography enthusiasts head to the region to see and photograph the fairy chimneys that have appeared above the water's surface, after they were able to see them only under the water before that.
Satellite images of the lake show that 7.64 square kilometers of the lake's area has receded (Anatolia)
Lake Van water receding
Dr. Mustafa Aqosh, a faculty member at the Faculty of Aquatic Biology at Yozongo Yale University, studied the areas in which the "fairy chimneys" appeared, indicating that Argesh Bay in the lake is the most frequent place in which the lake's water receded.
In an interview with Anatolia, Akush explained that comparing the satellite images of the lake with the images recorded for the area in 2010, it shows a decline of 7.64 square kilometers in the area of the lake.
Arges Bay is the place where the waters of the lake (Anatolia) have receded the most.
He pointed out that the rainfall rates during the last month were lower than the normal rates, expressing his hope that the rainfall and snowfall during the next three months will be at sufficient rates to restore the water level in the lake to its normal level.
He mentioned that there are many historical monuments and buildings that appeared after the water receded due to drought, in addition to the microbialite deposits that formed over thousands of years.
Aqosh stated that Lake Van is one of the largest alkaline water lakes in the world, and it has a high water quality that helped form microbialite deposits and other rock formations over the years, noting that the receding water led to its appearance in places near the shore.
He added that microbialite deposits with a length of one centimeter take a thousand years, explaining that the longest microbialite deposits in the world are found in Lake Wan, with a length of 40 meters.
"We can now see these live corals (microbialite) on land, after we had seen them only underwater before," he added, noting that these fairy chimneys should be promoted to attract visitors.
Global warming has led to a decrease in the water level in Wan by about 65 centimeters in two years (Anatolia).
Global Warming
Director of District 17 at the General Department of Water Ayhan Shahna said that the region has been negatively affected by global warming, and pointed out that this effect appears on Lake Wan, as it led to a decrease in the water level in it by about 65 centimeters within two years.
Sadat Karatay, one of the visitors who came to the area to take pictures, said he knew that the largest microbialite rocks existed in Lake Wan.
He added to Anadolu Agency that he took advantage of the opportunity to appear on the land with the receding water and came to photograph it, stressing the importance of preserving it.