Pictures: Giant Sinkhole Pierces Guatemala

nationalgeographic ^ | June 1, 2010 | Ker Than

[JoeProBono]

The appearance of a massive sinkhole in Guatemala City , Guatemala, on Sunday is thought to have been triggered by tropical storm Agatha, a violent tempest that struck Central America over the weekend.

From photographs, the new Guatemala sinkhole appears to be about 60 feet (18 meters) wide and about 300 feet (100 meters) deep, said James Currens, a hydrogeologist at the University of Kentucky—which explains how the sinkhole was reportedly able to swallow an entire three-story building.

Sinkholes can form when water-saturated soil and other particles become too heavy and cause the roofs of existing voids in the soil to collapse, Currens said.

Another way sinkholes can form is if water enlarges a natural fracture in a limestone bedrock layer. As the crack gets bigger, the topsoil gently slumps and develops into a sinkhole.

In either case, the final collapse can be sudden, Currens said.

[go_W_go]

You want earth and water? You’ll find plenty of both down there!

[a fool in paradise]

No left turn either!

[a fool in paradise]

The only that’s dropped deeper than that is Salon’s stock price.

[Boiling point]

It looks sooo photoshopped. The lighting down the sides would not be so uniform, and would darken gradually, not as a sudden black circle.

[JoeProBono]

[Bigh4u2]

Maybe so.

But, it is real..

[sten]

are sinkholes usually so precisely round? the ones i’ve seen have always been very misshaped

[Ann Archy]

Why is it so PERFECTLY ROUND???? weird.

[dfwgator]

Any reports if this guy was in the area recently?

[Beowulf9]

I’ve seen that before, where is that?

[JoeProBono]

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/06/what-caused-the-guatemala-sinkhole-and-why-is-it-so-round.html

[JoeProBono]

Great Blue Hole , Belize - This incredible geographical phenomenon known as a blue hole is situated 60 miles off the mainland of Belize .

[JoeProBono]

[Ann Archy]

Thanks.....not sure I buy that explanation...it is perfectly round for 30 STORIES DOWN??? hmmmmm

[JoeProBono]

“Guatemala sinkhole appears to be about 60 feet (18 meters) wide and about 300 feet (100 meters) deep”

[Ann Archy]

And it’s PERFECTLY ROUND all the way to the bottom???

[AngelesCrestHighway]

[JRios1968]

[archy]

Whoa. Now THATS a sinkhole.

Wait until the really big spider comes out of it.

[archy]

The US Government has sent a trio of geological experts to assess the situation, and two are in the area already.