Experts Went To The Bottom Of The World’s Deepest Cave — Now They’re Rushing To Escape
Thousands of feet beneath the surface of the Earth, a team of cavers are busy collecting data on a bizarre, subterranean world. But before they can complete their underground mission, disaster strikes. Suddenly, the air is filled with a terrifying roaring sound — and it’s getting louder by the minute.
Rogue floodwaters
September 16, 2018, started off business as usual for the group of British and Russian cavers exploring the world’s deepest cave. But when rogue floodwaters roared into their campsite, they were forced to make a life-or-death decision. Would they make it out in one piece? Or would they remain trapped in a watery grave?
What happens when things go wrong?
For decades, brave explorers and scientists have been descending into the bowels of this planet, conducting research that helps us to understand the farthest reaches of our world. But what happens when things go wrong? The story of the flooding at Veryovkina cave serves as a cautionary tale — as well as a riveting account of man versus nature at its most extreme.
Abkhazia
When the explorers made their fateful journey, Veryovkina had not been a record-breaking chasm for long. Part of a mountainous outcrop known as the Arabika Massif, the vast cave is located in Abkhazia, a region in the south Caucasus with a complex geopolitical past. Considered by most to belong to the country of Georgia, it effectively functions as an independent state.
The Arabika Massif
Thankfully, political tensions in the region have not prevented numerous scientists and explorers from visiting over the years. And it’s a good job, too. Within the Arabika Massif are no less than four of the deepest caves in the world, including Veryokvina, which stretches more than 7,000 feet underground.
