Scientists warn Caspian Sea may eventually split into two separate lakes

Tengrinews.kz – Researchers from the Institute of Geography at the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan say the ongoing retreat of the Caspian Sea is not a temporary fluctuation but part of long-term geological processes that could reshape the entire region, Minval reports.

According to scientists, the falling water level is linked to active tectonic processes. The Caspian lies in a zone of young mountain formation, and the continued uplift of the Caucasus is directly influencing the sea’s retreat.

“The Caspian Sea is located in an active tectonic zone. Since mountain formation in the Caucasus is still ongoing, we are observing a drop in water levels. Tectonic processes take extremely long periods of time,” said Mirnukh Ismailov, a researcher at the institute.

Ismailov noted that if current trends persist, the Caspian may eventually split into two separate basins: a northern one in the Derbent depression and a southern one near Lankaran. While the process would unfold over a long timescale, he described it as essentially inevitable.

Another researcher, Elnur Jafarov, added that water levels could drop so dramatically that the sea may recede more than 30 kilometers from the current shoreline.