ERTA ALE- GATEWAY TO HELL Erta Ale (or Ertale or Irtaale) is a continuously active basaltic shield volcano in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia. It is situated in the Afar Depression, a badland desert area spanning the border with Eritrea. Erta Ale is the most active volcano in Ethiopia.Erta Ale is 613 metres (2,011 ft) high, with one or sometimes two active lava lakes at the summit which occasionally overflow on the south side of the volcano. It is notable for holding the longest-existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century (1906). Volcanoes with lava lakes are very rare: there are only six in the world. Erta Ale means smoking mountain in the local Afar language and its southernmost pit is known locally as the gateway to Hell. In 2009, it was mapped by a team from the BBC using three-dimensional laser techniques,in order for the mapping team to maintain a distance and avoid the lakes searingly hot temperatures.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 23:21:53 +0000
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