Permafrost Melts bringing Back Ancient Deadly Viruses

Yakutia faces permafrost melting caused by the climate change. Scientists are concerned that it is increasing the risk of release of anthrax from burial grounds, and other ancient deadly viruses, tvbrics.com reports with the reference to RIA Novosti.

On June 20, Verkhoyansk, known as the Northern Pole of Cold, saw the abnormal heat –38 degrees above zero. The World Meteorological Organization, after conducting all the checking, can include the anomaly into the so-called meteorological "record book". In recent years, climate change in Yakutia became much more obvious.

Experts sound the alarm that the sudden warming can melt cattle mortuaries containing spores of anthrax and other bacteria. The deputy director for science of theMelnikov Permafrost Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of ScienceAlexander Fedorov gave comment on the problem.

"This problemexisted even beforethe climate warming. Riverbed evolution in our rivers sometimes opened such burial grounds. And with climate warming, the risk increases exponentially", the scientist said.

Warming can also cause other problems. For example, many unknownancient bacteria are released at permafrost degradation. It can lead to new epidemics.