By: Alex
Yellow sulfur, red iron oxide, and white salt crystals combine to create a breathtaking yet terrifying color palette. Yet, this place is riddled with death traps: the pools are not only scalding hot but also highly acidic. The air is thick with the pungent smell of sulfur, and the average temperature year-round exceeds 50°C — it's truly a bona fide inferno.
▲ (Photo by Christopher Richwhite/Caters News)
Known as the "Gateway to Hell," Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression lies at the northern end of the East African Rift. New Zealanders Bridget Thackwray and Topher Richwhite recently visited the area, with Bridget even walking barefoot across narrow volcanic rocks just inches above the boiling pools — a heart-stopping sight.
▲ (Photo by Christopher Richwhite/Caters News)
Reflecting on the experience, Bridget said, “As we walked across the plateau, you could smell the sulfur. It stings your lungs and is very uncomfortable. The hot wind kept blowing, bringing more smoke, and the only places you could find any shelter were behind those jagged rocks.”
▲ (Photo by Christopher Richwhite/Caters News)
She also mentioned the seemingly beautiful pools: “I have no idea what’s in the water, so I would never touch it. But seeing it constantly bubbling and steaming, I knew it was extremely hot.”
▲ (Photo by Christopher Richwhite/Caters News)
▲ (Photo by Christopher Richwhite/Caters News)
The Danakil Depression sits 110 meters below sea level, making it one of the lowest and hottest deserts in the world. It is surrounded by active volcanoes and features an extremely harsh environment. Most of the area is desert, but it is rich in salt mines, which provide a livelihood for the local Afar people who mine the salt.
▲ (Photo by Christopher Richwhite/Caters News)
Source: Mail Online, Caters News