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Temperatures reaching 85 degrees Celsius (185 Fahrenheit) have been measured at gas vents inside the crater of Mount Tendurek, one of Türkiye's active volcanic areas, where explorers documented continuing gas, steam and sulfur emissions.
Archaeologist, traveler and nature enthusiast Onur Benli and mountaineer Zayim Cemal Altay descended into the crater, located between Caldiran in Van and Dogubayazit in Agri, and recorded fumarolic activity that had previously been difficult to document. A fumarole is an opening in or around a volcanic area through which hot gases and steam escape from underground.
Mount Tendurek rises to 3,533 meters (11,591 feet) above sea level and has two summits as well as a broad volcanic crater. The crater is about 1,100 meters across and is estimated to be roughly 300 meters deep.
During their descent, Benli and Altay examined areas where gas and steam were still coming out of the crater floor, while also observing heat sources in several locations.
Benli said measurements taken at some gas vents reached 85 C, adding that they also detected localized sources of heat across the crater floor.
The pair recorded sulfurous gases, steam and hot mud in the fumarole zone, bringing together rare images of an area whose volcanic activity had been known but only sparsely documented.
Benli described the scene inside the crater as one of the most striking he had encountered and said the team had managed to record fumaroles that had rarely been seen up close.
"It was almost like a pit of hell. Gases were coming out, while boiling mud and sulfurous gases created a terrifying scene. The area where the steam was emerging was like the mouth of a dragon. Seeing sulfurous gases seep through the rocks and smelling them was very impressive," Benli said.
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Tendurek is described as one of Türkiye's youngest and active volcanic areas, with its last major activity recorded in 1855.
Beyond its volcanic features, Tendurek has also begun attracting greater interest for its natural and geological landscape.
Benli said the area had not previously been widely known in Türkiye but was gradually being opened up to tourism. He added that their aim was to document and show people a landscape that relatively few visitors had seen before.
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