The Dead Sea is one of the world’s most unique natural wonders. Its high salt and mineral levels are said to have healing powers, and people actually stay afloat in the water, providing a once in a lifetime experience for many travelers.

But the Dead Sea is facing huge challenges. Its water levels are receding at immense speed, mostly due to human activity, threatening its survival.

In this short mini documentary I’m taking a closer look at the Dead Sea, and the current problems it is facing. Is the Dead Sea actually disappearing?

I traveled to the Dead Sea on two occasions, most recently at the end of 2021, as part of a longer journey through Israel and Palestine. For other (longer) videos about the region, please click here:

Journey Through Israel:    • Journey Through Israel  Travel Docum...  
Journey Through Palestine:    • Journey Through Palestine  Travel Do...  
Jerusalem Travel Documentary:    • Jerusalem Travel Documentary  Ten Be...  

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Copyright of all footage: Hoffer Media

Here’s a short overview of the content in this video:

This video starts with a brief explanation of the geography and geology of the Dead Sea (which is qualified as a lake). Its coastline is shared by Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, and it is the lowest point on Earth. It also a place of breathtaking natural beauty, with blue waters and rugged mountain landscapes. Many tourists visit the Dead Sea as part of a resort holiday, but it’s possible to explore this area in many different ways.

The second part of the video touches on the problems that the Dead Sea is facing, most notably water diversion projects for agriculture, drinking water, and factories. With already less water in the Dead Sea, climate change is accelerating the evaporation process, adding to the unstable future of the Dead Sea.

In the last part I show some of the consequences of the decreasing water levels (for both the environment and humans), including the formation of many dangerous sinkholes in the region, causing roads and buildings to collapse (I use various drone shots to show the damage to the 'ghost' town of Ein Gedi).

Even though there are numerous proposals to end the rapid decrease of water levels, none of these have been put into action. Most scientists fear that the Dead Sea’s decline will continue for at least the next 100 years.

It's a stark reminder of what can happen when we treat Mother Nature the way we do.