We often come across fascinating videos of unique locations from across the globe that boast of something unusual. While some showcase the wonders of nature, others shed light on unexplained phenomena that have puzzled humanity for years. And one such location is the village of Darvaza, in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan. This village has a 230 feet wide hole that has been on fire for over 50 years. While it’s officially named Darvaza gas crater, locals call it the ‘Gates Of Hell’.
The crater was created in 1971 when a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punched into a huge underground natural gas cavern that caused the ground to collapse and the entire rig to fall in. Owing to the puncture of a pocket of gas, poisonous fumes began leaking at a frightening rate. To avert a potential environmental catastrophe, the Soviets set the hole on fire to prevent extensive damage to the atmosphere, thinking it would stop burning within a couple of weeks. However, decades later, the fire still burns bright. And, the Soviet drilling rig is believed to be down there, on the other side of the ‘Gates of Hell’.
Although the hole has gotten a scary name, it doesn’t stop people from trekking to the spot and taking selfies. The nearby desert has gained a lot of popularity and has become a famous tourist spot for camping.
Situated about 160 miles from the city of Ashgabat, the ‘Gates Of Hell’ might be in jeopardy. In January 2022, the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, announced that research would be conducted on how to put the fire out and close the pit once and for all.
Berdimuhamedov has ordered his cabinet of ministers to find the brightest minds on the planet and put them to work to figure out how to close the crater. Several attempts of extinguishing the fire have been made in the past but all of them turned out to be unsuccessful.
