Turkmenistan wants to close its “gates to hell”, a gas pit that has been blazing since 1971

The autocratic president of isolated Turkmenistan in Central Asia gives orders to put out the fires that have been burning for half a century In a giant gas crater called the “Gates of Hell”State television reported on Saturday.

The Darvaza gas crater, located in the Karakum desert, has been burning continuously since 1971 and has become the main tourist attraction of Turkmenistan and the former Soviet republic and one of the most closed countries in the world.

«Negative impact on the environment and the health of neighboring residents»

Its head, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, estimated that the fires burning in this 70-meter-wide well “Negative impact on the environment and health of neighboring residents». «We are wasting valuable natural resources for which we can obtain gains that can be used to increase the well-being of our peopleHe added, according to statements broadcast on state television.

Read alsoTurkmenistan relies on ‘Gates of Hell’ to attract tourists

Therefore, he ordered the authorities toFinding a solution to put out the firewho burns in Darvas. the origin of this”gates of hellIt dates back to 1971, when Soviet scientists accidentally breached an underground pocket of gas while excavating for sediments.

The earth receded, and the crater was created. Fearing the emission of toxic gases, the authorities decided to set it on fire, believing that it would dry out the sediment. But half a century later, it’s still burning. Authorities have tried to turn it off on several occasions, to no avail. At the same time, Turkmenistan sought to make the site, located 270 kilometers from the capital Ashgabat, a tourist place.

Read alsoAshgabat, Turkmenistan, is the most expensive city for expats

The fire that has been burning for more than 50 years demonstrates the huge gas reserves on which Turkmenistan is located, whose economy is largely dependent on energy exports.

Russia announced last month that it had doubled its gas imports from Turkmenistan in 2021, a country that wants to increase its annual sales to China to 100 billion cubic meters, compared to 40 billion cubic meters currently.