The 'Gates of Hell' have been burning in the desert of Turkmenistan since 1971. (Image credit: Getty images)
According to recent television appearances, the head of Turkmenistan is aiming to close the “Gates of Hell” that have been burning endlessly in the Karakum Desert for the past fifty years.
In a Jan. 8 address on Turkmenistan's state television, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov called on officials to “find a way to put out the fire,” citing concerns for the health of residents near the burning crater and lost business opportunities, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
“We are losing valuable natural resources that could bring us significant profits and be used to improve the quality of life of our people,” Berdymukhamedov said, according to AFP.
What is Hell's Gate? Also known by the less intimidating name of the Darvaza Gas Crater, Hell's Gate is a huge hole in the desert, approximately 230 feet (70 meters) wide and at least 65 feet (20 meters) deep.
According to AFP, excavation of the well began in 1971 during a Soviet gas drilling operation. (Turkmenistan is a former Soviet republic.) The incident occurred when the ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, sending the rig into a gas cavern. With toxic methane leaking, geologists decided to set the crater on fire, believing the gas inside would only burn for a few weeks.
Fifty years later, the Gates of Hell continue to burn — and have even become one of Turkmenistan’s top tourist attractions, according to AFP. The flaming crater gained further internet popularity in 2019 when President Berdymukhamedov posted a video of himself drifting through the desert toward the crater in a rally car.
It's unclear why Berdymukhamedov is so concerned about this fiery desert photo op, though his economic woes may be a factor. According to Vice.com, Turkmenistan has the fourth-largest known natural gas reserves in the world, and the country's economy relies heavily on gas exports.
President Berdymukhamedov had previously ordered specialists to extinguish the Gates of Hell in 2010, but those attempts were unsuccessful. This time, the chances are better.
Originally published on Live Science.
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Brandon SpectorSocial LinksNavigationEditor
Brandon is the Space/Physics Editor for Live Science. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Reader's Digest, CBS.com, the Richard Dawkins Foundation, and many other publications. He holds a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona and minors in Journalism and Media Arts. He especially enjoys writing about space, geoscience, and the mysteries of the universe.
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