Guatemala City 2010
Sinkholes, also called swallow or shake holes, form slowly but can have a dramatic effect once they occur. Very little change can be detected on the ground surface of a sinkhole in one’s lifetime.
Rocks beneath the earth’s surface, composed of materials naturally dissolved by water, such as salt, gypsum, anhydrite, limestone and dolomite, sometimes decompose to the point that they “give away” to the pool of water sitting beneath them.
Holes remain intact underneath the ground until enough erosion occurs, causing the land above it to sink abruptly. This sudden change has historically been devastating for many. Land collapses are sometimes small, and other times they are enormous and can occur in some of the worst places like where a building or house is on top.
US cities reported to have suffered the most damage from sinkholes are: Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Missouri.
However, on May 30, 2010, an enormous sinkhole appeared in heart of Guatemala City’s urban district, engulfing a large building along with the entire street intersection nearby. This 66-feet wide and 100-feet deep cylindrical hole finally gave in to its lack of underground reinforcement, when Tropical Storm Agatha swept through the city streets. Two teenagers and their father were killed as a result of the gigantic hole.
Sinkholes can occur naturally in areas where no manmade structures are present. They can also occur as a result of poor building practices, in which the proper drainage system is incorrectly developed, or in areas where the drainage system has been obstructed (such as the case in Guatemala City).
Due to an increase of sinkholes around the world, Scientists are currently researching early detection methods.
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