Gallery: The Soviet River Diversion That Decimated a Giant Lake and Condemned a Population
01© Jason Larkin
*A market stall selling shoelaces and socks is set up inside a pedestrian underpass leading to Nukus central outdoor market. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
02© Jason Larkin
*Old abandoned fishing ships sit near to the old shoreline of the Aral Sea along Monyaq town. These are some of the only surviving fishing boats of the once large fishing fleet. They've been gathered and left by the local council as museum pieces to Monyaq's past. Most other old fishing boats have been moved and scrapped for metal. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
03© Jason Larkin
*Old discarded fishing boats that once worked on the Aral Sea are bought here to be broken down and sold for scrap metal. Only due to an increase in water from the Amu Darya river, which once fed the Aral Sea but has still not reached it for over 9 years, are there small pools of water. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
04© Jason Larkin
*Villagers and vehicles have to cross the Amu Darya via a makeshift pontoon pulled along by rope, as the only bridge nearby had fallen into disrepair a few years ago. On either side of the river you can see dry exposed banks. The river is nearly half its original volume as 20 years ago. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
05© Jason Larkin
*A wedding party visits the fairground in Nukus to use the Ferris wheel. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
06© Jason Larkin
*A villager stands by his car as it's taken across the Amu Darya via a small raft pulled along with rope. The bridge that once crossed the river has since fallen into disrepair. The Amu Darya once fed the Aral Sea; you can now see its exposed sand banks on either side as the rivers volume has decreased dramatically. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
07© Jason Larkin
*Farhod checks his car before heading off hunting, outside of Nukus, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
08© Jason Larkin
*An Soviet-era apartment building in Nukus, Karakalpakstan. Uzbekistan.*
09© Jason Larkin
10© Jason Larkin
*Locals sell homemade milk on the outskirts of Nukus central outdoor market. Karakalpakstan. Uzbekistan.*
11© Jason Larkin
*A young boy plays in the playground outside his school in Nukus, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
12© Jason Larkin
*School children rush to classes at a state-run school in Monyaq, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
13© Jason Larkin
*A villager in Nukus cycles past a large nationalistic government banner, which are found all over the country.*
14© Jason Larkin
*Farhod's son at their home near to Nukus, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
15© Jason Larkin
*Teachers from a nearby school sit on the edge of a cotton field eating lunch. As well as supervising their pupils they too pick cotton during the compulsory harvesting months of cotton production for most state institutions. Nukus, Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
16© Jason Larkin
*A customer eats his lunch in the Aral Sea Cafe in downtown Nukus. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
17© Jason Larkin
*A Nukus resident counts empty Vodka bottles he's collected in order to get money for recycling the glass. Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.*
