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Past and present dangers of Erta Ale lava lake

Ethiopia’s Erta Ale volcano, locally known as ‘the gateway to hell’, is not the most obvious tourist destination.

Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
Temperatures rapidly increase on the descent from the highlands of the Tigray region to the low-lying Afar region. Even in winter, temperatures normally hover at nearly 40C in the shade, and regularly surpassing 50 in the summer. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
By Axel Storen Weden
Published On 11 Feb 201711 Feb 2017
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Erta Ale, Ethiopia – The words from the young and energetic guide hurrying toward the Erta Ale volcano in north-eastern Ethiopia were not particularly reassuring. “Tourists will die here someday. I’m sure of it,“ he said, albeit in a light manner.

Darkness slowly set over the barren landscape, but temperatures still hovered at around 35 degrees Celsius.

The guide’s gloomy premonition was also a reminder of a very grim past. In 2012 a group of tourists were ambushed by gunmen on the edge of this crater. Five European tourists were killed and four others abducted.

The Afar Revolutionary Democratic Front, a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident led to a period of fighting between Ethiopian and Eritrean forces as Ethiopia accused the Eritrean government of supporting, harbouring and training the attackers.

Since then security has been buffed up, with government-appointed soldiers routinely monitoring the inhospitable desert terrain for potential ambushers and bandits. All tourist groups are now accompanied by an armed guard and an armed policeman. Indeed, as unrest spread and a state of emergency was imposed in Ethiopia in the last half of 2016 as a result of widespread protests, Erta Ale and the Danakil Depression were among the safest places to travel in the country.

With the dangers of a violence at bay, the tourist guide focused his commentary on the more actual dangers of the fiercely active and constantly erupting volcano, which holds one of only six lava lakes in the world. 

Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
The last stretch of the path towards Erta Ale consists of fine yellow sand and thorn bushes, which are eventually overtaken by volcanic rock. Several animal species, such as ostriches, camels and antelopes, can be seen on the desert plains. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
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Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
Children play outside their huts in the village closest to the volcano. Myriad different fees, both official and not so official, make it virtually impossible for independent travellers to find their way to the volcano. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
A young boy looks on to a passing truck in the dramatic landscape near Erta Ale. Despite occupying a land mass almost twice the size of the Netherlands, only a little more than a million inhabitants live in the Afar region. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
A young girl runs to greet the incoming tourist truck. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
Tourists, camels, guides, police and soldiers all gather at the base camp, a two to three-hour hike from the summit of the volcano, to have dinner, relax and wait until the sun sets and the temperatures drop. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
A group of soldiers assigned to monitor the area for any threats relax at the base camp just before sunset. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
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Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
A young soldier waits for dinner to be served at the base camp. The relationship between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea has been tense. The border between the countries is heavily militarised and impassable. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
The fuming volcano marks one of the hottest spots on earth. The volcano is currently active and erupting, and the lava can be seen constantly breaching the rim. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
When the volcano is not erupting, the guides say it is possible to walk all the way to the crater rim and gaze down into the flaming cauldron of lava. When the volcano is actively erupting, however, 50 metres is a distance at which one feels nearly safe to avoid the bursts of molten lava spilling over the rim. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
A government-assigned soldier walks towards the base camp at dawn after patrolling the area around the volcano at night as a precautionary step against potential ambushers in the area. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
Local traders use camels to transport mattresses and other appliances back to the base camp, accompanied by a local guide. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]
Visiting the lava lake of Erta Ale, Ethiopia/ Please Do Not Use
Armed police guards accompany all travellers and tourists venturing to see the volcano. [Axel Storen Weden/Al Jazeera]


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