Melting permafrost in Siberia could plunge area underwater in near-future

Melting permafrost in Siberia could dramatically plunge the area fully underwater in the not-so-distant future

The Alash Plateau of the Sayan Mountains in the southern part of Siberia used to be permanently frozen but rising temperatures have put the area under threat.

Over the last 50 years, Siberian winters have warmed by between 2 to 4 degrees Celsius.

The Alash Plateau area may be plunged underwater as the thermokarst lakes - small bodies of water appearing when the ice melts - carry on expanding each year.

The increasing temperatures are releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gas that contribute to climate change.