Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Local tourists seen on the stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. A monument of a fishing boat sits in front of the government building and a number of closed fish cannery factories dot the landscape - but there is not a single body of water in sight. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Local tourists seen on the stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. A monument of a fishing boat sits in front of the government building and a number of closed fish cannery factories dot the landscape - but there is not a single body of water in sight. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. ((Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Local tourists seen on the stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. A monument of a fishing boat sits in front of the government building and a number of closed fish cannery factories dot the landscape - but there is not a single body of water in sight. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Local tourists seen on the stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. A monument of a fishing boat sits in front of the government building and a number of closed fish cannery factories dot the landscape - but there is not a single body of water in sight. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Local tourists seen on the stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. A monument of a fishing boat sits in front of the government building and a number of closed fish cannery factories dot the landscape - but there is not a single body of water in sight. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Gas drilling pipes seen on near the Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Gas drilling pipes seen on near the Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Gas drilling pipes seen near the old Russian cemetery with rusted and not readable name plates near Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

The stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. A monument of a fishing boat sits in front of the government building and a number of closed fish cannery factories dot the landscape - but there is not a single body of water in sight. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

The stranded rusting ships at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

A man fishes with the pike at the Sudochye lake that was part of Aral sea near Muynak, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

A temporary house of fishermen seen near the abandoned settlement of Urga, that was founded at the beginning of XX century. During Soviet, Old Believers were sent in exile there, at the beginning of 50-s' was base for fishermen. In 1971 the last inhabitant left the settlement. Uzbekistan, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

A temporary house of fishermen seen near the abandoned settlement of Urga, that was founded in the beginning of XX century. During Soviet Old Believers were sent in exile there, in the beginning of 50-s' was base for fishermen. In 1971 the last inhabitant has left the settlement. Uzbekistan, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

A view of the Ustyurt Plateau with Sudochye lake in background that was part of South Aral sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

A cemetery of Old Orthodox believers seen near the abandoned settlement of Urga, that was founded in the beginning of XX century. During Soviet Old Believers were sent in exile there, in the beginning of 50-s' was base for fishermen. In 1971 the last inhabitant has left the settlement. Uzbekistan, Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Russian Sergei and Oleg enjoy evening in the yard of their father's house where after collapse of Soviet Union he collected some of Soviet symbols. at the former fishing port of Muynak which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Saturday, April 28, 2018. Moynaq was indeed once an important fishing town, but the water the city was once located on receded a long time ago. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Gas drilling pipes seen near the old Russian cemetery with rusted and not readable name plates near Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

Gas drilling pipes seen near the old Russian cemetery with rusted and not readable name plates near Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

At the old Russian cemetery with rusted and not readable name plates near Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

At the old Russian cemetery with rusted and not readable name plates near Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. ((Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

At the old Russian cemetery with rusted and not readable name plates near Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

People enjoy evening on the streets of former port city of Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

People enjoy evening on the streets of former port city of Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)

Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Aral Sea

A man makes mud bricks to build his house in former port city of Muynak village which is now 170 km far from the actual shores of The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan, Friday, April 27, 2018. The lure of oil and gas – on both sides of Aral Basin – is encouraging a major investment in new geological research, although this is obviously focused on petroleum geology. Oil and gas reserves of up to two billion tonnes could lay below the Aral Sea. (Photo Sergey Ponomarev)