SPECTACULAR SINKHOLES
Added on: 20th Dec 2014
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.
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