The Darvaza well, in Turkmenistan, is called “Hell’s Gate” because it has been burning since 1971. It is actually the product of an accident that occurred in Soviet times during construction work. Now the president of this republic has ordered its extinction. But, How do you extinguish a well that does not stop emanating flames? To achieve this, the country’s leader has asked that options be studied to extinguish this natural gas crater.
If necessary, he said, foreign scientists will be assisted. Its objective is to put an end to the flames that have burned continuously for more than 50 years in the Karakum desert; visible flames during the day and at night. Expelled gas negatively affects the environment and to the health of the people who live near this area.
The crater, about 60 meters in diameter and 20 meters deep, was formed in 1971, during some prospecting works carried out by the Soviet Union. The sandy ground collapsed and they chose to burn the toxic gases that came out. They thought that in a matter of a week the fire would go out, but it has been burning for half a century.
It is thus a spectacle created by the human being that has become one of the great tourist attractions of the country, despite its damaging power. A fiery attraction that shows that Hell on Earth can also be man-made.
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
