The level of the Caspian Sea continues to decline, with the area of submerged water reaching 22,000 square kilometers, decreasing at an average rate of 69 centimeters per year, according to Astrakhan Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society.

This process is threatening shipping and oil production in the North Caspian region, Zarema Soltanmuradova, director of the Institute for Ecology and Sustainable Development at Dagestan State University says. As to Soltanmuradova, despite global warming and rising sea levels caused by melting glaciers, the Caspian's sea level is falling ten times faster than that of the world's ocean.

The most significant impact of this sea level decline can be seen in the northwestern regions. In Dagestan, near the central coastline, the effects are less pronounced due to deeper water gradients. However, in Makhachkala, significant changes in sea level have been observed over the past decade.