Subsidence and Sinkholes

Associated with the dissolution of rocks, thawing of

sediment, and earthquakes.

Expanding soils during wet periods cause subsidence.

Can be caused naturally or by human activity.

An example of subsidence caused by human activity is

removing groundwater in a certain area.

Human Activity and

Sinkholes

Humans can also cause sink holes by drilling for a well or

mining in certain areas.

Putting up buildings or parking lots and also change the

earths underground erosion and water levels which can
cause a sinkhole.

Guatemala City Sinkhole

Guatemala City is largely

built on weak materials
such as volcanic pumice.

In 2010 this sinkhole

opened up in the city.

60 feet wide and over 3

stories deep.

The hole was caused by a

broken sewer line that
eroded the bedrock

Guatemala City Sinkhole

Tropical Storm Agatha

was the final Straw
and cause the hole to
open.

It took a 3 story
building and 2 people
with it.

Sarisarinama Sinkholes in
Venezuela

High in the clouds on a tabletop

mountain sit these 4 giant
sinkholes.

Located in a very remote part of

Venezuela, the nearest road is
several hundred miles away.

The largest is 1150 feet wide

and 1000 feet deep.

What makes them so

fascinating is how dense the
jungle is around them.

Sarisarinama Sinkholes

The mountain ranges

in altitude from 984
feet to 7710 feet.

According to the
natives in the area,
there is a flesh eating
even spirit that lives
on the mountain
caves and makes the
sound sari sari when
he is eating human
meat.

Blue Holes

What is blue hole?

Basically it is just
an underwater
sinkhole.

Todays blue holes

were formed from
erosion during
previous ice ages
when the earths
sea level was much
lower.

Blue Holes

This blue hole in

Belize is located
about 60 miles
from the mainland.

It is approximately
984 feet across and
over 420 feet deep.

Blue Holes

Deans blue hole in the Bahamas is the deepest blue hole

known.

It is over 663 feet deep.

The people here believe it was dug by the devil and many
have never seen it or gone to it for fear of dying.

Warning signs and Stopping

Sink Holes

If a sinkhole is in the process of forming the structures on

top can be useful to look at.

Look for slumping or sagging fences, trees leaning,

windows that dont close properly.

Thankfully, if caught early, a sinkhole can be stopped.

Cities can inject grout into the hole to rebuild a foundation

over the degrading bedrock.

References

Natural Hazards

Facts about sinkholes (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/thelookout/five-facts-sinkholes-214013987.html)

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/10-sinkhole-facts-thatcould-save-your-life/

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyc
lopedia/sinkhole/?ar_a=1