13.07.2026 14:42
Due to the heavy rainfall that has been effective in Lake Van this year, the water level has risen. The microbialites that emerged due to drought have been submerged again. Nature photographer Ferzende Coşar stated that this situation is promising for the lake to return to its former level.
With the rise in water level this year due to effective rainfall in Lake Van, the microbialites that had previously emerged from the shoreline caused by drought are now once again submerged.
FORMED OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS
Lake Van, Turkey's largest salt and soda lake, had experienced significant water loss in recent years due to decreasing rainfall and increasing evaporation, with the recession becoming particularly evident on the northern shores of Erciş.
Following the receding waters, microbialites formed over thousands of years, resembling a sunken city, had emerged. This year, the heavy rainfall effective in the region has caused the lake level to rise again, enabling the microbialites that appeared during the drought period to become submerged once more.
'I HOPE LAKE VAN RETURNS TO ITS FORMER LEVEL'
Ferzende Coşar, who has been engaged in nature photography in the region for about 30 years, stated that he has closely followed the changes in Lake Van over the years, saying, "Due to the drought in recent years, there were significant recessions in Lake Van. When the lake waters receded, microbialites that resembled a city appeared. I photographed those images and shared them on my social media accounts. I came back to the same region this year. After the heavy rainfall, I saw that the microbialites were once again underwater. This shows that the lake level has risen, even if slightly. This sight made me very happy. I hope the rains continue in the coming years and Lake Van returns to its former level."