Sunset over thermokarst lakes along the Urabay River. A thermokarst lake, also called a thaw lake or cave-in lake, is a body of freshwater, usually shallow, that is formed in a depression by meltwater from thawing permafrost.The area was visited by a Greenpeace team to document the site of a methane explosion and of major permafrost subsidence.
The entire region is under heavy threat from global warming as temperatures increase and Russia’s ancient permafrost melts.