The Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan

In 2001 in Azerbaijan, the ground start to move in an unusual way seems some supernatural powers trying to get out of the ground. This is extremely happened in unexpected way, when a massive explosion causes a huge flame coming from the three hundred meters high hillside. The massive flame surrounded by dense black smoke, and heap of mud was being thrown into the air.  Bubbling and belching away like witches’ cauldrons, mud volcanoes are one of nature’s more murky oddities. So, Azerbaijan is the first place in the world for the amount of mud volcanoes, local people call them “yanardagh” (burning mountain), and other kind of mud volcanoes is found out in wells. It is believed, that volcanoes start to erupt in this territory about 25 million years ago. 

This is known as "mud volcanoes" and they’ve formed in places where pockets of underground gas have found a feeble spot in the earth where they can force their way to the surface. What had taken place was an eruption, not one of magma. Mud volcanoes are not caused by magma, rather than being hot, but can be very cold often just above freezing. Mud volcanoes are also known as “sedimentary volcanoes” never grow to the size of normal volcano topping out at about 10 KM in diameter and 700 meters in height. NASA Geologists are studying Mars planet, concluded that mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan are alike to uplands of the planet for their structure. Since, 1810 more than 200 eruptions have recorded in Azerbaijan is accompanied by massive explosions and underground rumble. Hence, gasses come out from the deepest layers of the earth and abruptly ignite. 

The largest mud volcanos in the world are Boyuk Khanizadah and Turaghai both in Azerbaijan. These volcanoes often show off as happened in 2001. It is thought, more than 1000 volcanoes are known to exist in the world and some of 400 are exist in the coastal area of Azerbaijan. However, every twenty years or so, these mud volcanoes ignites deep below the surface and make a massive explosion. Moreover mud volcanoes are closely associated with hydrocarbon and petrochemical stores underground, henceforth the gas trying to escape to the surface. Therefore lava, mud and liquid erupted by mud volcanoes are perfectly used as a raw material in chemical and construction industries and in pharmacology.

Normally mud volcanoes are not dangerous to people, because they’re far outside the city. It is estimated that more than 2000 sheep and six shepherds were killed by a mud volcano in Bozdagh, Azerbaijan. Furthermore, there’s silver lining to having a country covered in mud volcanoes. Few of them gas leaks are continuously on fire, shooting small everlasting flames into the air and some are strongly connected to the appearance of the Zoroastrian religion in Azerbaijan over two thousand years ago. Moreover the greatest mud volcano in the territory of Azerbaijan was added into the Guinness World Records in September 5, 2004.