Unveiling the Expansion: The Astonishing Growth of Siberia’s ‘Gateway to the Underworld

The Batagay megaslump in Siberia, often dubbed the ‘gateway to the underworld,’ is expanding at an astonishing rate, with researchers discovering that it grows by a staggering 35 million cubic feet (1 million cubic meters) each year. This massive depression in the permafrost of the Russian Far East is a formidable sight, stretching 3,250 feet wide as of 2023.

Initially identified in 1991 after a collapse exposed ancient permafrost layers, this megaslump’s cliff face is retreating at a rapid pace of 40 feet per year due to thawing permafrost. The collapsed section, sinking rapidly, has lost ground, plummeting 180 feet below the headwall.

The scale of this phenomenon is immense; satellite images, field measurements, and laboratory data revealed that the volume of ice and sediment lost from the crater equals more than 14 Great Pyramids of Giza since its collapse. While its growth continues, there’s a geological limit to its expansion, as the remaining permafrost is only a few feet thick.

This ongoing transformation underscores the profound impacts of permafrost thawing in Arctic regions, with implications for climate feedback loops and environmental stability.