5 Wonderful Sinkholes In The World

A sinkhole is a natural depression or hole in the Earth’s surface which may have various causes. Sinkholes may vary in size from 1 to 600 m (3.3 to 2,000 ft) both in diameter and depth, and vary in form. Sinkholes may be formed gradually or suddenly, and are found worldwide.

1. Great Blue Hole, Belize – The first sinkhole in the list, and by far the most amazing is the Great Blue Hole. It is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 m (984 ft) across and 124 m (407 ft) deep. It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation starting over than 150,000 years ago

Most Amazing Sinkholes: Great Blue Hole

2. Sima Humboldt (Sima Major), Venezuela – An enormous sinkhole located on the summit of a plateau in Bolivar state, Venezuela. It has a depth of 314 meters (1,030 ft) and a width of 352 meters (1,155 ft) in the upper rim and 502 meters (1,647 ft) below

Most Amazing Sinkholes: Sima Humboldt

3. Dead Sea Sinkholes, Israel – Several large sink holes have been appearing near Ein Gedi, Israel. The phenomenon stems from a dire water shortage, compounded in recent years by tourism and chemical industries as well as a growing population. There are over than 3,000 open sinkholes along the coast of the Dead Sea, and likely just as many that haven’t burst open yet. The sinkholes can be seen when traveling to the Dead Sea or Masada – two of the best attractions in Israel

Dead Sea Sinkholes, Israel

4. Guatemala City 2007 sinkhole, Guatemala – On February 23, 2007, out of the clear blue sky, this sinkhole collapsed, forming a very large, deep circular hole with vertical walls and killing five people. The hole was 100 metres (330 ft) deep. As a result, one thousand people were evacuated from the area. Authorities believed that the sinkhole was the result of a corroded sewage system deep beneath the surface

Guatemala City 2007 sinkhole

5. Guatemala City 2010 sinkhole, Guatemala – Just three years later, another giant sinkhole in Guatemala City swallowed a three-story factory and killed 15. This 65 ft (20 m) across and 100 ft (30 m) deep sinkhole occurred for a combination of reasons, including Tropical Storm Agatha, the Pacaya Volcano eruption, and leakage from sewer pipes

Guatemala City 2010 sinkhole, Guatemala