Gas crater Darvaza is located in Karakum desert, in the north-west of Turkmenistan. The diameter of the crater – 60 meters, depth – 20 meters. Local people call it “The door to Hell” or “Gate of Hell”.
The accumulation of underground gas was discovered by the Soviet scientists in the village Darwaza in 1971. During the excavations, geologists found an underground cavern (empty), because of it the land failed and there was a large abyss filled with gas. It was decided to set fire in order to avoid harmful gas for human and animals. Accordance to the hypothesis of geologists, the fire had to go out in a few days, strangely enough, but they were wrong. Since then natural gas has been burning without ceasing.
