What is Turkmenistan’s ‘door to hell’?
Would you wish to visit a place which has been set on fire for far too long? Darvaza Gas Crater – also known as ‘Door to Hell’ by the localité, has been burning since 1971. Located in Derweze, Turkmenistan – Darvaza Gas Crater is a natural gas field that had collapsed into a cave, in the middle of the Karakum Desert. The name ‘Door to Hell’ was given in reference to the fire, and the bright orange flames in the 226 feet wide and 98 feet deep crater.
Owing to a Soviet expedition, Darvaza Gas Crater was acknowledged by Soviet engineers back in 1971. Initially, geologists perceived it to be an oil mine field. They began operations to estimate the abundance of oil in the ground. Just when the researchers analyzed that there could be a hollow pocket of natural gas, the ground collapsed and buried into the cave.
Scientists and researchers estimated that this could lead to release of noxious gases and would have an adverse effect on people in the nearby towns. Thus, the engineers decided to set the cavern on fire. However, it was unexpected that the fire would continue burning for four decades. It was predicted that it would only last a few weeks.
The history of the sinkhole is not quite precise. Another version suggests that it was set alight two decades after it collapsed in 1960s. Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow visited the site in April of 2010 and he ordered that the hole be closed, although the enactment still lingers. When a Canadian adventurer George Kourounis decided to descend into the pit, he suggested that the sinkhole does not emit any smoke and burns quite cleanly. His team even discovered bacteria at the bottom of the pit, sustaining life in the high temperatures. He concluded saying that there are other planets in the universe which sustain similar environmental conditions, and there could be life on their grounds as well.
Turkmenistan is one of the most secluded countries in the world, yet the Darvaza Gas crater has become one of the tourist attractions for thrill-seekers. The surroundings of the pit are not even fenced, which is why visitors can stand right on the edge of the sinkhole, despite the safety hazards. Over 50,000 tourists have visited the unusual – ‘Door to hell’ in the 21st century.
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