Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has reportedly ordered the closure of the Darvaza crater in the Karakum desert, which is known locally as the “gates of hell,” that has been burning since 1971, citing environmental and health concerns. Berdymukhamedov said in a televised address on Saturday that the crater, officially named the “Shining of Karakum,” must be extinguished as it “negatively affects both the environment and the health of the people living nearby.” The president also pointed out that the crater is a waste of valuable natural gas resources from which the country could profit, local reports stated. “We are losing valuable natural resources for which we could get significant profits and use them for improving the well-being of our people,” Berdymukhamedov said, as he called on officials to look for ways to extinguish the fire. The crater was formed during the former Soviet Union’s rule, when a Soviet drilling rig …