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The erupting Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia's Afar region, in the northeast of the country, is a natural phenomenon that has baffled scientists and researchers. This volcano, located in the Afar Desert and also known as 'Smoking Mountain,' is a natural wonder whose flames are monitored day and night by scientists and geologists.

The 'Afar Triangle' is part of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa. The vast region overlaps the borders of Eritrea, Djibouti, and Ethiopia's Afar region, and is inhabited by the Afar people spread across these countries in what is known as the 'Afar Triangle.' This ethnic group numbers about six million people, 50 percent of whom live in Djibouti, 10 percent in Eritrea, and about four percent in Ethiopia.

Salt Lakes

This region contains the lowest point in Africa (155 meters below sea level). It also has bodies of water such as the Awash River, a seasonal river that ends in a series of lakes and saltwater. The northern part of the Afar Depression is known as the Danakil Depression.

The Afar Triangle is bordered to the west by the Ethiopian Plateau, and the Afar Depression extends from the northeast (between it and the Red Sea) next to the Danakil Block to the south of the Somali Plateau.

Hominids

The area is distinguished by numerous important fossil sites. Recently discovered in some of these sites are the skeleton and remains of the oldest 'hominids,' consisting of fossilized bone fragments representing 40 percent of the skeleton of a female hominid known as 'Lucy,' dating back 3.2 million years.

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The Afar region is considered one of the hottest places on Earth, with no rainfall throughout the year. The Awash River flows from the northeast, 128 kilometers from the Red Sea, providing life for the nomadic populations living in the Danakil Desert.

The Awash River ends in a series of salt lakes, and its waters evaporate quickly due to the region's heat. Salt deposits cover the Afar Depression over an area estimated at about 1,200 square kilometers, and the accumulated salt is a major source of income for many residents of these areas.

The region is characterized by desert shrubs, and vegetation is mostly limited to drought-resistant plants. It is also home to animals such as zebras and some gazelle species, along with several bird species like ostriches and secretary birds. In the southern part of the plain lies the Mille-Sardo Wildlife Reserve in Ethiopia.

Erta Ale

The Erta Ale volcano, located in the southeast of the region, in the Danakil Desert, is an integral part of the Afar Triangle. No human approaches it due to the lava it emits, and scientists and researchers monitor it from a distance. It is a continuously active volcano, described by British explorer Ludovico as 'a scene of extreme horror and death.'

Scientists say the Earth's crust is cracking at a rate of 1 to 2 centimeters annually along the three rift zones within the lava triangle. The floor of the depression is composed of volcanic lava, and it is described as one of the five lava lakes on Earth, according to scientists' classification.

Smoking Mountain

It is known that this volcano has witnessed several eruptions in recent years, forcing thousands of residents to flee to more distant areas.

Despite the information scientists have discovered about the 'Smoking Mountain' volcano and what their instruments and cameras have recorded, mystery still surrounds this region of the world, as the high heat prevents scientists and researchers from reaching any points near the volcanic activity.

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More about: Erta Ale volcano, Afar region, Awash River, Danakil Depression, Smoking Mountain