The massive blaze that has been raging in Turkmenistan's 'Gateway to Hell' gas crater for more than half a century has been significantly contained, according to the government there.
The Darvaza Gas Crater, commonly referred to as the 'Gateway to Hell', is located in the Karakum desert. In 2018, it was officially renamed as the 'Shining of Karakum'. The pit was reportedly ignited in 1971 when Soviet scientists tried to contain poisonous gases emanating from the crater. They dug a hole in Karakum desert to study the methane leaks but it was too late when they realised that there was an underground gas field.
However, their decision to ignite the methane to solve the problem resulted in the creation of the longest continuously burning man-made fire. The crater has been on fire ever since and earlier attempts to put it out have been unsuccessful.
Irina Luryeva, a director at Turkmengaz, the state-owned energy company, said, "Whereas 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 that several wells have been drilled to capture methane from the crater.
The reduction in the combustion was reportedly recorded by independent satellite data, showing a decrease of threefold.
It was in January 2022 that the country's then president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, currently serving as the Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, ordered the extiguishing of the crater.
"We are losing valuable natural resources for which we could get significant profits and use them for improving the well-being of our people," the president said back then, pointing out that it "negatively affects both the environment and the health of the people living nearby".
In March 2024, Turkmenistan launched a joint project with the UN Environment Programme to control methane emissions.
