The Dead Sea is shrinking rapidly, creating thousands of sinkholes that threaten communities and tourism. This crisis stems from decades of water mismanagement.
Dead Sea shrinking rapidly
The Dead Sea is losing about one meter of its depth each year, revealing salt layers that are dissolving due to underground fresh water. This process has created over 6,000 sinkholes in areas like Ein Gedi, swallowing beaches and palm groves.Cause of the shrinking
The shrinking of the Dead Sea is mainly due to the diversion of the Jordan River in 1964. This action was intended to support agriculture and provide drinking water but also cut off the lake’s primary water supply, leading to a loss of a third of its surface area.Salt layers and sinkholes
The salt layers beneath the land surrounding the Dead Sea were once protected by the water. Now, they are dissolving due to underground fresh water, forming cavities that collapse into sinkholes. Some reports suggest the sea could be losing up to 1.5 meters per year, with new sinkholes appearing daily.Impact on the landscape and people
Sinkholes in the area are now measured in thousands, found along the Jordanian, Israeli, and West Bank shores. Some are over ten meters deep, capable of swallowing entire buildings. Ein Gedi, once a popular resort, is now closed, and the road to the shore is split by massive sinkholes, changing the landscape into a salt-bleached, lunar-like environment.Economic and environmental consequences
The sinkholes pose a direct threat to local businesses, residents, and tourism. Tourism in Israel has shifted to the southern basin, which is less prone to ground instability. Experts warn the situation will worsen for at least a century, with the Dead Sea’s decline being unavoidable for the next hundred years.
