SPECTACULAR SINKHOLES

QATTARA DEPRESSION

Located in West Cairo, Egypt the Qattara Depression is the largest

natural sinkhole in the world measuring 50 miles long by 75 miles wide.

It is a 100% natural by-product of fierce which tear into the slimy salt

beds right down to the water table. Due to its sheer size, scientists are

attempting to develop a massive hydroelectric project that would

harness the sinkhole’s hydroelectric energy potential. The plan for this

project would require digging a ditch from the sinkhole’s edge to the

Mediterranean and allowing the channelled water to fall into the

sinkhole while passing through a series of hydro-electric penstocks

thus creating energy.

MOUNT GAMBIER

Located between Adelaide and Melbourne in South East Australia,

Mount Gambier is known for its geographical features such as

water channels, caves, volcanic rocks, and the famous Blue Lake.

Nicknamed “The city of craters”, its volcanic craters are actually

naturally-occurring sinkholes that are filled with water thus

creating gorgeous scenery.

BEREZNIKI

The sinkhole in Berezniki, Soviet Russia began in 1986 as a result of a

flooding event in a potash mine and has gradually worsened each passing year.

At over 200m deep, 80m long and 40m wide, it is expected to swallow up the

only rail line that leads to and from the potash mines, where 10% of the world’s

potash used in fertilizer comes from.

SOUTH FLORIDA

Due to the weakening of the karst (a type of bedrock) in an urbanized area

of South Florida, the ground gave way to a sizable sinkhole. The 20ft wide

by 10ft deep sinkhole opened up near the University of South Florida in

Tampa, swallowing a car and threatening a nearby condo. Eleven people

were evacuated from the condo but thankfully no one was hurt.

GUATEMALA CITY 2007

In late February 2007, residents of Guatemala City heard some

rumbling underneath them but were not sure what was happening

until instantly a near-perfect circle of earth dropped some 30 stories.

The sink hole killed two and forced the evacuation of over 1,000 people.

Authorities believed that the sinkhole was the result of a corroded

sewage system deep beneath the surface.

GUATEMALA CITY 2010

Another giant sinkhole in Guatemala City swallowed a three-story

building on May 2010. This 60ft. wide by 200ft. deep sinkhole could

have been developing for weeks or even years, however the flood

waters from the tropical storm Agatha accelerated the sinkhole’s

growth and caused it to finally collapse.

BOWLING GREEN

Undertaking a major development in Bowling Green, Kentucky can

be a very risky business since the city is dotted with naturally-occurring

sinks that could open up at any time. One of these sinks halted the plans

for the construction of the Trimodal Transpark after the 200ft wide

sinkhole gave way near the construction site.

THE SINAI BLUE HOLE (DAHAB)

A popular (and dangerous) diving site on east Sinai on the coast of

the Red Sea a few miles north of the small town of Dahab, The Sinai

Blue Hole is a submarine sinkhole which is around 130m deep. The sink

hole is renowned for scuba attempts and free-diving, while the

surrounding area has an abundance of corals and reef fish. However, it

is also renowned for its danger and has been labelled

“the World’s most dangerous dive site”.

THE DEVIL’S SINKHOLE

The Devil’s Sinkhole in Edward’s County Texas is a limestone wonder that

has a 40ft. x 60ft. opening and a total drop of 400 ft. The sink is famous for

being a vertical natural bat habitat for the Mexican Free Tailed Bat which

houses an estimated 3 million bats.