Well of Barhout
{{Short description|Sink hole in Yemen}}
{{distinguish|Well to Hell}}
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The Well of Barhout (also nicknamed Well of Hell) is a sinkhole in Al-Mahara, Yemen. It has a circular entrance that measures about {{cvt|30|m|ft|-1}} wide at the surface, and it is {{convert|112|m|ft}} deep.
Physical features
The opening at the top of the Well of Barhout measures {{convert|98|ft|m|order=flip}} across, while the bottom of the sinkhole widens to {{convert|380|ft|m|order=flip}}. The sinkhole is {{convert|367|ft|m|order=flip}} deep and passes through two layers of rock. The top layer is around {{convert|200|ft|m|order=flip}} in thickness. The top layer is porous and permeable and thus allows water to filter down to the second layer which is less permeable, where it flows into the sinkhole, creating four waterfalls each measuring {{convert|150|ft|m|order=flip}} in height.{{cite web |title=The History and Mystery of Yemen's 'Well of Hell' |date=20 October 2021 |author=Sarah Durn |website= Atlas Obscura |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/yemen-well-of-hell-cave-explored}}
Exploration
It was first explored by the Oman Cave Exploration Team (OCET), who reached the bottom on 15 September 2021. Footage provided to Agence France-Presse (AFP) showed cave formations such as stalagmites and grey and lime-green cave pearls, formed by dripping water.{{cite news |title=Cavers find snakes but no genies: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210922-cavers-find-snakes-but-no-genies-in-yemen-s-well-of-hell |access-date=23 September 2021 |publisher=AFP |date=21 September 2021}}{{cite web |title=First Known Full Descent Into Sinkhole Called 'Well of Hell' Leads to Strange Discoveries |date=24 Sep 2021 |author=Sara Santora |website=Newsweek |url=https://www.newsweek.com/first-known-full-descent-sinkhole-called-well-hell-leads-strange-discoveries-1632549}}
The speleologists also report having found snakes, dead animals, and waterfalls in the cave.
Amateur cave explorers have entered the sinkhole before, but until now nobody was known to have made it all the way to the bottom.{{cite web |title=Danger and demons: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell' |date=21 Jun 2021 |website=Phys.org |url=https://phys.org/news/2021-06-danger-demons-yemen-mysterious-hell.html}}{{cite web |title=Cavers discover snakes and waterfalls inside Yemen's infamous 'Well of Hell' in world-first descent |date=24 Sep 2021 |author=Harry Baker |website=Live Science |url=https://www.livescience.com/well-of-hell-sinkhole-yemen-descent}} Samples of the rocks, soil, water, and dead birds found in the cave were collected for further analysis. A full report of the team's findings will be made available to the public.{{cite web |title=Explorers become 1st ever to reach bottom of mysterious 'Well of Hell' |date=24 Sep 2021 |author=Monica Danielle |website=AccuWeather |url=https://www.accuweather.com/en/travel/explorers-become-first-to-reach-bottom-of-mysterious-well-of-hell/1021902#}}
Folklore
Local folklore says the cave was created as a prison for jinn, and superstition has it that objects near the hole can be sucked towards it. Some nearby residents think that it is bad luck to even talk about it.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://gulfnews.com/photos/news/danger-and-demons-yemens-mysterious-well-of-hell-1.1624362827042?slide=1 Photographs of the Well of Hell, from Gulf News]
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