In the realm of budget horror films, there exists a remarkable phenomenon known as the ‘Gates of Hell’ – a perplexing gas crater that has been ablaze for 52 years. Remaining alight in Turkmenistan, this enigmatic spectacle, also known as the ‘Gateway to Hell,’ has become one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, yet the origins of the Darvaza crater remain shrouded in mystery.
Some speculate that its inception can be traced back to a botched Soviet gas field drilling operation. According to this theory, the drilling rig accidentally breached a gas cavern, causing it to collapse along with the earth surrounding it. In an effort to avert the dissemination of hazardous fumes, the Soviets made the decision to set the gas ablaze, leading to the inferno that persists to this day.
Local Turkmen geologists maintain that the crater took shape during the 1960s, while the fire only ignited two decades later in the 1980s. However, a comprehensive exploration conducted by Canadian explorer George Kourounis in 2013 yielded inconclusive results regarding the true origin of this fiery phenomenon.
Regardless of its cause, it was initially anticipated that the inferno would burn out within a matter of weeks. Astonishingly, it continues to rage fiercely after 52 years, resulting in a crater measuring 230 feet in width and over 65 feet in depth.
In 2018, the president officially renamed the crater the ‘Shining of Karakum,’ paying homage to the desert where it fiercely burns. Despite numerous attempts, all endeavors to extinguish the fire have proven futile.
Nonetheless, Turkmenistan’s president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, issued a call last year to finally put an end to this ongoing conflagration. He cited the ecological damage and health concerns arising from the fire and expressed a pressing need for its prompt cessation.
It is worth noting that Mr. Berdymukhamedov has been advocating for the extinguishment of the crater since 2010. The president explained that this man-made abyss adversely impacts both the environment and the well-being of the nearby residents.
In other news related to remarkable chasms, divers recently reached the bottom of the Great Blue Hole in Belize, unveiling a disheartening discovery. This colossal marine cavity, located approximately 60 miles off the Central American coast, delves more than 400 feet into the deep abyss.
For a prolonged period, divers were hindered in their exploration due to the lack of technology required to navigate its profound depths. However, advancements in technology, along with the interest of billionaire Richard Branson, transformed the situation.
The founder of Virgin spearheaded an expedition to the hole, accompanied by diver Fabien Cousteau, who captured high-quality photographs and videos to unveil the mysteries concealed beneath the surface.
At the depths of the Great Blue Hole, an unfortunate sight awaited: a two-liter plastic bottle and forgotten holiday snapshots captured on a GoPro.