Yemen: why the “abyss of hell” is unknown

At Yemen, a natural wonder known as “hellhole” fascinates geologists. This is a giant crater located in the desert of Al-Mahra province, the exact depth of which is unknown. According to local folklore, it was created to serve as a prison for demons.

The crater, located about 1,300 kilometers east of the capital Sanaa, near the border with Oman, has 30 meters wide. Although his depth exact unknown, considered one of the 100 and 250 meters.

“It’s very deep. We never got to the bottom of that well because there is little oxygen and no ventilation. “, explained Salah Babhair, director general of the local authority in charge of the study of geological and mineral resources, who assured that the crater is “millions and millions of years old”.

The sunlight barely penetrates and you don’t see much of the edge except the birds that come in and out of the depths. According to Babhair, he and his team managed to enter the well, they reached “a depth of over 50-60 meters” and noticed “strange things inside”.

“We also smelled a strange aroma. It is very mysterious”, recalled the specialist. “These places require more study and research,” he said.

Local folklore claims the crater was created to serve as a prison for demons, a superstition reinforced by the foul smells that emanate from its depths. There are those who say, following oral legends which are passed down from generation to generation, that objects close to the hole are sucked into it.

Hundreds of stories have circulated over the centuries. According to these accounts, the crater poses a threat to life on earth. Fearing the curse, many locals are reluctant to approach and even avoid talking about him.