Erta Ale. Active Basaltic Shield Volcano In The Afar Region Of Northern Ethiopia. Erta Ale Means `Smoking Mountain` In The Local Afar Language And Its Southernmost Pit Is Known Locally As `The Gateway To Hell`. Erta Ale Is 613 Metres 2,011 Ft High, With One Or Sometimes Two Active Lava Lakes At The Summit Which Occasionally Overflow On The South Side Of The Volcano. It Is Notable For Holding The Longest-Existing Lava Lake, Present Since The Early Years Of The Twentieth Century.

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