Surrounded in mystery and tales of demons, the Well of Barhout in Yemen's east -- known as the "Well of Hell" -- is a little-understood natural wonder.

Closer to the border with Oman than to the capital Sanaa 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) away, the giant hole in the desert of Al-Mahra province is 30 metres wide and thought to be anywhere between 100 and 250 metres deep.

Local folklore says it was created as a prison for the demons -- a reputation bolstered by the foul odours rising from its depths.

Yemeni officials say they don't know what lies below.

"It's very deep -- we've never reached the bottom of this well, as there's little oxygen and no ventilation," said Salah Babhair, director-general of Mahra's geological survey and mineral resources authority.

"We have gone to visit the area and entered the well, reaching more than 50-60 metres down into it. We noticed strange things inside. We also smelled something strange... It's a mysterious situation."

Sunlight doesn't extend far into the structure, and little can be seen from the edge except the birds that fly in and out of its depths.

Videographers seeking close-ups of the inside of the well have said they are almost impossible to capture -- local superstition has it that objects near the hole can be sucked towards it.

Babhair said that the well was "millions and millions" of years old.

"These places require more study, research and investigation," he said.

Over the centuries, stories have circulated of malign, supernatural figures known as jinns or genies living in the well.

Many local residents remain uneasy about visiting the vast hole, or even talking about it, for fear of ill fortune from a chasm which, legend has it, threatens life on Earth itself.

Yemenis have had enough bad luck as it is.

The country has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014 between the government and the Huthi rebels.

The United Nations says Yemen is suffering the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands killed, millions displaced and two-thirds of its 30-million population dependent on some form of aid.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Drought-hit Jordan to build Red Sea desalination plant
Amman (AFP) June 13, 2021
Jordan said Sunday it plans to build a Red Sea desalination plant operating within five years, to provide the mostly-desert and drought-hit kingdom with critical drinking water. The cost of the project is estimated at "around $1 billion", ministry of water and irrigation spokesman Omar Salameh told AFP, adding that the plant would be built in the Gulf of Aqaba, in southern Jordan. The plant is expected to produce 250-300 million cubic meters of potable water per year, and should be ready for ope ... read more