The Darvaza gas crater, which is also called the 'Gates of Hell' with natural gas spewing flame 24/7 since the 1970s in the Karakum Desert.
Locals say the pit is where devils breathe, as is called by the locals due to superstition. It is in danger of getting snuffed out as the gas crater might negatively affect the desert environment.
Turkmenistan president demands to put out the flames
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the president of Turkmenistan, ordered that officials douse the flames from the ever-burning natural gas crater, reported the Sun UK.
In 2010 he told experts that something must be done to stop the burning crater. In 1971 drilling project of the Soviet Union went terrible, causing the eternal blaze for the last 20-plus years.
President Berdymukhamedov attempts to stop the blaze, which is affecting the environment and health of locals living close to the burning inferno. How the inferno of the Darvaza gas crater in the desert has not been exposed; and remains a secret till now.
The 'Gates of Hell' is part of a natural gas field that fell into a cavern underneath in Darvanza village, cited News AU.
Not much is verified how it came about, but it was created in 1971 due to Soviet activities. A popular version is that geologist open up natural gas pocket while drilling in the middle of the desert for oil, and the ground collapse into itself.
Trying to stop methane from escaping into the area, it was set on fire to burn itself out, but it did not. This created the Well of hell that blazes in the Karakum Desert.
In 2013, the 'Gates of Hell' was featured in a National Geographic Channel series 'Die Trying' in one of the episodes. George Kourounis, a Canadian explorer, is the first person to descend in the raging pit of fire, going a hundred feet down but no clues how the flame is blazing up to now, noted News Express.
Explorer descends Inside the flaming crater
Kourounis told National Geographic that it resembled a volcano in the center of the desert and felt like getting cooked.
He added that fire was everywhere inside and was like hellfire too. It burns without end. If you step close to the edge, the flame roads are loud.
The heat could be felt if anyone is downwind is too much to bear. Flames are all over with them licking from the edges to the center of the blaze.
Kourounis said the two largest flames are in the middle of the pit in the bottom; he thinks the two holes were bored to extract the natural gas.
But, the local geologists think the hole was made in the 1960s and burning in the 1980s. Until now, attempts to verify when it was created are kept under wraps.
The flaming pit was called a natural reserve in 2013 by President Berdymukhamedov. It immediately hit the tourists who flocked to see a natural attraction, and thousands came to see it in person.
One more pit called the 'Well of Hell' in Yemen has attracted attention and is a 200-foot drop to the bottom.
The Gates of Hell in the Karakum desert is a mysterious spot that might be extinguished if authorities find a way; however, it is still burning up to now.
