NEW YORK (Dagbladet): On Saturday, the alarm went off again after people found new corpses in Lake Mead, according to several media, including CNN and The Guardian.
This is the fourth time since May that remains have been found in the popular recreation areas by the famous water reservoir.
On Saturday, park rangers were called after the discovery of human remains at Swim Beach, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
Horror discovery in a dried-up lake
Divers in place
Throughout the weekend, park rangers and divers from the Las Vegas police have been working to retrieve the remains. A medical examiner has also been called to determine the cause of death.
It is currently unclear how long the latest finds have been in the lake.
sea view
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The water level in Lake Mead has been dropping for many years as the western part of the United States has experienced a dramatic water shortage. Now the water is at its lowest since the reservoir was built in the 1930s.
One of the earlier discoveries was the body of a person, which was placed in a rusty barrel. According to the authorities, he must have died from a gunshot to the head. The discovery, which was made in Hemenway Harbor on May 1, is now being investigated as a homicide by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police.
– Whenever you have a body in a barrel, it is obvious that someone else was involved, says police lieutenant Jason Johansson of the Las Vegas police to CNN.
The coroner has concluded that the body died sometime between the mid-1970s and early 1980s.
Mafia speculation
On 7 May, remains were found at Calville Bay. The authorities believe the body must have been between 23 and 37 years old when the person in question died. The cause of death is currently unknown.
– Could be catastrophic
On 25 July, a new discovery was made at Swim Beach. The remains have not yet been identified. The cause of death is also not known.
The lake is located on the border between Nevada and Arizona. All the bodies have sparked speculation that the mafia, which has played a prominent role in Las Vegas, has used the lake to dump bodies. The police have not yet confirmed that they are working on this theory.
– It’s just speculation, says Johansson.
A spokesperson for the park service tells CNN that it is possible that the bodies were people who drowned in the lake when the water level was much higher.
Extreme drought
In the 1980s, the water level in the man-made reservoir was at its highest – 373 meters above sea level. But extreme drought has led to ever lower water levels. Now the lake is at its lowest level since it was built in the 1930s.
– The world becomes unrecognizable
On July 18, Lake Mead was only filled to 27 percent of capacity, according to NASA calculations.
The falling water level poses a threat to around 25 million people who rely on the lake as a source of water. In addition, it threatens energy production and tourism in the area.
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