Darvaza gas crater

natural gas fire in Ahal Region
#1 in Ahal Region / #1 in Turkmenistan
Photo
by Tormod Sandtorv
/ CC BY-SA 2.0

The Darvaza gas crater, also known as the "Door to Hell" or "Gates of Hell," is a natural gas field in Derweze, Turkmenistan, that collapsed into an underground cavern in 1971. Geologists set it on fire to prevent the spread of methane gas, expecting it to burn out in a few weeks. However, the crater has been burning continuously since then. It measures approximately 70 meters in diameter and 20 meters deep, creating a dramatic and fiery spectacle in the middle of the Karakum Desert.


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