All children examined had immunodeficiency to various degrees. There is a high frequency of inborn defects of respiratory organs and bronchiectasis. But the impact of the Aral Sea disaster spreads far beyond the adjacent communities. Storms blow over hundreds, probably thousands of kilometers. And the region's climate has actually changed due to the loss of the sea's moderating effect.
Winters are now colder and summers hotter - making dust storms even worse.
Kamalov Yusup, Chairman of the Union for Defence of the Aral Sea and Amudarya in Nukus suggests another potential looming problem. Carrying toxic chemicals, an underwater plume more than 100 kilometers wide is now heading towards the Caspian. It would be a mistake to conclude that the only culprit is the system of Soviet-style central planning. As Dr. Viktor Duchovny, formerly of the Ministry of Water, told me, megaprojects to develop and use water were pushed extensively in the United States and Canada - although without such tragic consequences, so far. The real lesson is that it is a mistake to think we are so clever that we can shoehorn nature to fit our agenda.