The “Gateway to Hell" in Turkmenistan that has been burning for over 50 years could finally be reaching its end. The Karakum Desert has been home to the shocking site ever since the blaze started in 1971. The country has taken several steps to extinguish it, which include drilling wells around the site to capture the methane gas that is being released into the atmosphere. Turkmenistan’s official energy platform, TESC Turkmenistan, said that this is becoming possible because the country has been focusing on sustainable practices and gas management and working to reduce its impact on the environment. The huge crater fire is located in a remote area and has become a tourist site. But all these years, it was left to burn out because it is far from human settlement areas. However, Turkmenistan has been working towards dousing it to mitigate its effects on the environment, and also because being one of the world’s largest natural gas producers, its economy depends on these gas reserves. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/rat55-sighting-in-area-51-fuels-further-fire-about-notorious-hangar-18-linked-to-aliens-1755747815101">RAT55 jet sighting in Area 51 fuels further fire about notorious Hangar 18 linked to aliens</a> Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/6-word-message-humans-should-send-interstellar-mothership-as-per-harvard-scientist-1755588175737">A message in Morse: Humans should reach out to interstellar 'mothership', scientist says</a>&nbsp;<h2>How is the “Gateway to Hell" fire being extinguished</h2>The crater is spewing massive methane emissions, poisoning the air. To control this methane from leaking, the state-owned energy company, Turkmengaz, has dug up wells at the site to capture the methane and bring down the intensity of the fire. Officials announced earlier this year that their efforts have paid off and the fire is now only "a fraction of its former size." Irina Luryeva, a director at Turkmengaz, said at an environmental conference in Ashgabat that the fire is now down by approximately threefold. "Before a huge glow from the blaze was visible from several kilometres away, hence the name ‘Gateway to Hell’, today only a faint source of combustion remains," she added.&nbsp;<h2>How did the “Gateway to Hell" in Turkmenistan start?</h2>It went off partly because of an accident, and partly because of a human decision that went wrong. In 1971, the Soviets were drilling in the Karakum Desert when they accidentally hit an underground gas pocket. It was punctured, and the gas started leaking. They were aware that it could be hazardous to humans and the climate, so they decided to set it on fire. They assumed that the gas would burn out in a few days. However, they were proven wrong, that too by 54 years.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Gateway to Hell in Turkmenistan: The fire that has been burning for 54 years started when the Soviets struck a gas pocket and then set it on fire. It could now be coming to an end because of the efforts carried out by an energy company.

The “Gateway to Hell" in Turkmenistan that has been burning for over 50 years could finally be reaching its end. The Karakum Desert has been home to the shocking site ever since the blaze started in 1971. The country has taken several steps to extinguish it, which include drilling wells around the site to capture the methane gas that is being released into the atmosphere. Turkmenistan’s official energy platform, TESC Turkmenistan, said that this is becoming possible because the country has been focusing on sustainable practices and gas management and working to reduce its impact on the environment. The huge crater fire is located in a remote area and has become a tourist site. But all these years, it was left to burn out because it is far from human settlement areas. However, Turkmenistan has been working towards dousing it to mitigate its effects on the environment, and also because being one of the world’s largest natural gas producers, its economy depends on these gas reserves. Also Read: RAT55 jet sighting in Area 51 fuels further fire about notorious Hangar 18 linked to aliens Also Read: A message in Morse: Humans should reach out to interstellar 'mothership', scientist says How is the “Gateway to Hell" fire being extinguished The crater is spewing massive methane emissions, poisoning the air. To control this methane from leaking, the state-owned energy company, Turkmengaz, has dug up wells at the site to capture the methane and bring down the intensity of the fire. Officials announced earlier this year that their efforts have paid off and the fire is now only "a fraction of its former size." Irina Luryeva, a director at Turkmengaz, said at an environmental conference in Ashgabat that the fire is now down by approximately threefold. "Before a huge glow from the blaze was visible from several kilometres away, hence the name ‘Gateway to Hell’, today only a faint source of combustion remains," she added. How did the “Gateway to Hell" in Turkmenistan start? It went off partly because of an accident, and partly because of a human decision that went wrong. In 1971, the Soviets were drilling in the Karakum Desert when they accidentally hit an underground gas pocket. It was punctured, and the gas started leaking. They were aware that it could be hazardous to humans and the climate, so they decided to set it on fire. They assumed that the gas would burn out in a few days. However, they were proven wrong, that too by 54 years.

Gateway to Hell in Turkmenistan: The fire that has been burning for 54 years started when the Soviets struck a gas pocket and then set it on fire. It could now be coming to an end because of the efforts carried out by an energy company.

54-year blaze ending? Gateway to Hell in Turkmenistan could finally be closing. Here's how

Siberia has been hosting a massive hole called the “Gateway to Hell" which has grown triple in size in just 30 years, according to scientists.

The 200-acre wide and 300-foot deep hole is present in the Yana highlands of Siberia and is called the 'Batagaika Crater'.&nbsp;

It has now been observed that the hole has been expanding faster than expected because of climate change.&nbsp;

The hole, which is officially known as Batagay, is the second-oldest permafrost on Earth.

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It is so big that it is visible from space and now the experts are flocking to the deep pit to learn everything about it.&nbsp;

Roger Michaelides, a&nbsp;geophysicist at Washington University, said, “You're talking mostly about frozen dirt underground, which by definition you often can't see unless it's been exposed somehow, like in this mega slump."

"I think there is a lot we can learn from Batagaika, not only in terms of understanding how Batagaika will evolve with time, but also how similar features might develop and evolve over the Arctic," he added while speaking to Business Insider.&nbsp;

"Even if they're a tenth or a hundredth the size of Batagaika, the physics is fundamentally the same," Michaelides further said.&nbsp;

<h2>All about expanding 'Gateway to Hell' in Siberia</h2>

During the Quaternary Ice Age, about 2.58 million years ago, the land at the site had permanently frozen.&nbsp;

The locals first spotted Batagay in Yakutia,&nbsp;Russia and claimed that they heard horrific noises like loud booms or “screams” coming from it.

In the 1960S, the forest area was cleared and sunlight started reaching the ground of the hole and began warming it.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;How Earth's spin may have killed 90% of life

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-earths-spin-may-have-killed-90-of-life-754747/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It is still melting and some scientists have warned that this gateway can engulf most of the land and prove dangerous for nearby villages once more areas start to melt.&nbsp;

Nikita Tananaev, a researcher at Melnikov Permafrost Institute in Yakutsk, who was not part of the study, said that the nearby ecosystems are altering permanently because of leakage from the crater.

"This will lead to significant alterations to the riverine habitat, and the effect of sediment escaping the slump [the Batagaika crater] is even seen in the Yana River, the major river in the vicinity," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Siberia has been hosting a massive hole called the “Gateway to Hell" which has grown triple in size in just 30 years, according to scientists. The 200-acre wide and 300-foot deep hole is present in the Yana highlands of Siberia and is called the 'Batagaika Crater'.

Siberia has been hosting a massive hole called the “Gateway to Hell" which has grown triple in size in just 30 years, according to scientists. The 200-acre wide and 300-foot deep hole is present in the Yana highlands of Siberia and is called the 'Batagaika Crater'. It has now been observed that the hole has been expanding faster than expected because of climate change. The hole, which is officially known as Batagay, is the second-oldest permafrost on Earth. Also Read: Earth's mantle is hosting strange 'black holes' with mysterious waves. Here's what they are It is so big that it is visible from space and now the experts are flocking to the deep pit to learn everything about it. Roger Michaelides, a geophysicist at Washington University, said, “You're talking mostly about frozen dirt underground, which by definition you often can't see unless it's been exposed somehow, like in this mega slump." "I think there is a lot we can learn from Batagaika, not only in terms of understanding how Batagaika will evolve with time, but also how similar features might develop and evolve over the Arctic," he added while speaking to Business Insider. "Even if they're a tenth or a hundredth the size of Batagaika, the physics is fundamentally the same," Michaelides further said. All about expanding 'Gateway to Hell' in Siberia During the Quaternary Ice Age, about 2.58 million years ago, the land at the site had permanently frozen. The locals first spotted Batagay in Yakutia, Russia and claimed that they heard horrific noises like loud booms or “screams” coming from it. In the 1960S, the forest area was cleared and sunlight started reaching the ground of the hole and began warming it. Watch: How Earth's spin may have killed 90% of life It is still melting and some scientists have warned that this gateway can engulf most of the land and prove dangerous for nearby villages once more areas start to melt. Nikita Tananaev, a researcher at Melnikov Permafrost Institute in Yakutsk, who was not part of the study, said that the nearby ecosystems are altering permanently because of leakage from the crater. "This will lead to significant alterations to the riverine habitat, and the effect of sediment escaping the slump [the Batagaika crater] is even seen in the Yana River, the major river in the vicinity," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Scary! Earth's massive 'Gateway to Hell' triples in size in 30 years. Scientists warn...

One of the massive craters in the world, famously known as the “gateway to the underworld” is growing by 35 million cubic feet every year. The huge crater situated in Serbia’s permafrost is expanding due to melting of the ground, a new study has found.

Officially known as Batagay (spelled as Batagaika), the crater or mega slump is a rounded cliff face that was first discovered in 1991 through satellite images. It was created after a section of hillside collapsed in the Yana Uplands of northern Yakutia in Russia.&nbsp;

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This collapse exposed layers of permafrost within the remaining portion of the hillside that have been frozen for up to 650,000 years now. It is known as the oldest permafrost in Siberia and second oldest in the world.

New research suggests that the Batagay mega slump’s cliff face is retreating at a rate of 40 feet (12 metres) per year due to permafrost thaw. The collapsed section of the hillside is also rapidly melting and sinking. &nbsp;

"Rapid permafrost thaw features are widespread and observed to increase in Arctic and sub-Arctic ice-rich permafrost terrain," the research team wrote in a study, published online March 31 in the journal Geomorphology. However, the amount of ice and sediment lost from the Batagay mega slump is "exceptionally high" due to the sheer size of the depression, which stretched 3,250 feet (990 m) wide as of 2023.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-decode-why-memories-come-back-to-dementia-patients-before-death-718981">Scientists decode why memories come back to dementia patients before death</a>

The mega slump was of 2,600 feet (790 m) wide in 2014, which means it grew 660 feet (200 m) wider in less than 10 years. Researchers were aware that it was growing, but this is the first time they have quantified the volume of melting material out of the crater.

The results from the research showed that a region of ice and sediment equivalent to more than 14 Great Pyramids of Giza has melted off the mega slump since it collapsed.&nbsp;

The rate of melting has remained relatively steady over the past decade, occurring mostly along the slump on the western, southern and southeastern edges of the crater.

(With inputs from agencies)

One of the massive craters in the world, famously known as the “gateway to the underworld” is growing by 35 million cubic feet every year. The huge crater situated in Serbia’s permafrost is expanding due to melting of the ground, a new study has found.

One of the massive craters in the world, famously known as the “gateway to the underworld” is growing by 35 million cubic feet every year. The huge crater situated in Serbia’s permafrost is expanding due to melting of the ground, a new study has found. Officially known as Batagay (spelled as Batagaika), the crater or mega slump is a rounded cliff face that was first discovered in 1991 through satellite images. It was created after a section of hillside collapsed in the Yana Uplands of northern Yakutia in Russia. Also Read | Ancient fossil shows birds are officially dinosaurs This collapse exposed layers of permafrost within the remaining portion of the hillside that have been frozen for up to 650,000 years now. It is known as the oldest permafrost in Siberia and second oldest in the world. New research suggests that the Batagay mega slump’s cliff face is retreating at a rate of 40 feet (12 metres) per year due to permafrost thaw. The collapsed section of the hillside is also rapidly melting and sinking. "Rapid permafrost thaw features are widespread and observed to increase in Arctic and sub-Arctic ice-rich permafrost terrain," the research team wrote in a study, published online March 31 in the journal Geomorphology. However, the amount of ice and sediment lost from the Batagay mega slump is "exceptionally high" due to the sheer size of the depression, which stretched 3,250 feet (990 m) wide as of 2023. Also Read | Scientists decode why memories come back to dementia patients before death The mega slump was of 2,600 feet (790 m) wide in 2014, which means it grew 660 feet (200 m) wider in less than 10 years. Researchers were aware that it was growing, but this is the first time they have quantified the volume of melting material out of the crater. The results from the research showed that a region of ice and sediment equivalent to more than 14 Great Pyramids of Giza has melted off the mega slump since it collapsed. The rate of melting has remained relatively steady over the past decade, occurring mostly along the slump on the western, southern and southeastern edges of the crater. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Gateway to the underworld’ in Siberia is growing at a staggering rate every year: Study

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov instructed officials on Saturday to find ways to extinguish fire at 'Gateway to Hell' a gas crater that has been burning for decades after failed Soviet drilling.

The president cited environmental and economic concerns as he appeared on state television. The Darvaza gas crater, where the fire has been raging is in the middle of the vast Karakum desert.

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said that the man-made crater "negatively affects both the environment and the health of the people living nearby".&nbsp;

"We are losing valuable natural resources for which we could get significant profits and use them for improving the well-being of our people," he said in televised remarks.&nbsp;

Berdymukhamedov instructed officials to "find a solution to extinguish the fire".

The crater was created in 1971 during a Soviet drilling accident that hit a gas cavern, causing the drilling rig to fall in and the earth to collapse underneath it.&nbsp;

<img alt="Turkmenistan Gateway to hell" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7898fac4-5d25-447b-b51d-bd99ff8f52a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_DV1756966.jpg" />

To prevent the dangerous fumes from spreading, the Soviets decided to burn off the gas by setting it on fire.

The pit has been ablaze ever since and previous attempts to put it out have been unsuccessful.&nbsp;

The resulting crater -- 70 metres (229 feet) wide and 20 metres (65 feet) deep -- is a popular tourist attraction in the ex-Soviet country.

In 2018, the president officially renamed it to the "Shining of Karakum".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov instructed officials on Saturday to find ways to extinguish fire at 'Gateway to Hell' a gas crater that has been burning for decades after failed Soviet drilling.

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov instructed officials on Saturday to find ways to extinguish fire at 'Gateway to Hell' a gas crater that has been burning for decades after failed Soviet drilling. The president cited environmental and economic concerns as he appeared on state television. The Darvaza gas crater, where the fire has been raging is in the middle of the vast Karakum desert. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said that the man-made crater "negatively affects both the environment and the health of the people living nearby". "We are losing valuable natural resources for which we could get significant profits and use them for improving the well-being of our people," he said in televised remarks. Berdymukhamedov instructed officials to "find a solution to extinguish the fire". The crater was created in 1971 during a Soviet drilling accident that hit a gas cavern, causing the drilling rig to fall in and the earth to collapse underneath it. To prevent the dangerous fumes from spreading, the Soviets decided to burn off the gas by setting it on fire. The pit has been ablaze ever since and previous attempts to put it out have been unsuccessful. The resulting crater -- 70 metres (229 feet) wide and 20 metres (65 feet) deep -- is a popular tourist attraction in the ex-Soviet country. In 2018, the president officially renamed it to the "Shining of Karakum". (With inputs from agencies)

Turkmenistan president wants 'Gateway to Hell' extinguished

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54-year blaze ending? Gateway to Hell in Turkmenistan could finally be closing. Here's how

Scary! Earth's massive 'Gateway to Hell' triples in size in 30 years. Scientists warn...

‘Gateway to the underworld’ in Siberia is growing at a staggering rate every year: Study

Turkmenistan president wants 'Gateway to Hell' extinguished