Sarez, Lake, 37 mi (60 km) long, on the Murgab River, E central Tajikistan, in the Pamir 80 mi (129 km) NE of Khorugh. Sarez was formed (1911) when an earthquake caused a landslide that destroyed Usoi village and created a natural dam more than 1,800 ft (550 m) high. The Murgab leaves the lake through a series of springs below the dam. Since 2004 the lake has been monitored for surging water levels or other events that might cause the dam to fail.
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