Earth
The Guatemala Sinkhole
Updated March 30, 2019
A broken sewer pipe was probably the cause of an enormous sinkhole in Guatemala City in 2010.
A giant sinkhole, estimated to be 18 m (60 ft) wide and 100 m (300 ft) deep, opened up in Guatemala's capital in 2010.[1] The hole swallowed a three-story building, but incredibly, no deaths were reported.[1]
The sinkhole was probably created by a burst sewer pipe that, for a long time, hollowed out the loose volcanic bedrock Guatemala City is built on.[1] A tropical storm and ash from several volcanic eruptions are then believed to have overloaded the sewage, causing the roof of the cavity to finally collapse.[1]
Sinkholes, also known as cenotes, dolines or swallow holes, are usually created when water weathers and erodes the bedrock below the ground surface. Sometimes a sinkhole occurs suddenly, as in Guatemala City, when the roof of a hollowed out underground cavity collapses.
A sinkhole also opened up in Guatemala City in 2007, for similar reasons as in 2010.
That time, three people were killed.[2]
References
[1]
"Guatemala Sinkhole Created by Humans, Not Nature". National Geographics. Published June 5, 2010. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
[2]
"Third body pulled from giant sinkhole". NBC News. Uppdated Feb 24, 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
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