On February 23, 2007, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, a giant round sinkhole, reported to be 100 meters deep (about 330 feet), collapsed into the earth, swallowing up a dozen homes, and killing 3 people.
What’s so incredible is how round and symetrical the sinkhole formed, leading some to say the images were faked or photoshopped, but sadly, the images are real. Although, it has popularly been called a sinkhole, geologists would classify this formation as a piping feature, or a piping pseudokarst.
Theories on the Sinkhole’s Formation
Most of Guatemala City is built upon uncemented volcanic ash and gravel-like deposits, originating from ancient volcanic activity. It is essentially a valley that has been naturally filled in with loose, easily eroded volcanic material. Over time, water can erode enormous underground caverns, which has the potential to eventually collapse in upon itself. While natural water runoff or waterways can cause the erosion, in this case, it is thought to have been caused by aging and leaking sewer infrastructure.
Evacuation and Lost Lives
Foul odors, loud noises, and the sounds of rushing water could be heard from the depths of the large hole. Tremors were also felt, causing the police to establish a 500-yard perimeter around the sinkhole.
Nearly a thousand people were forced to evacuate their homes, possibly permanently, in what was considered a poor neighborhood of Guatemala City. Sadly three people fell victim to the sinkhole and lost their lives.
Teenagers Irma and David Soyos, and their father Domingo Soyos, 53, were retrieved from the rushing waters at bottom of the giant sinkhole.
Warnings Prior to the Collapse
Neighborhood resident Edward Ramirez, who lived just 50 yards away from the collapsed sinkhole, along with other nearby residents, had been hearing noises and feeling tremors for about a month preceeding the sinkhole collapse.
Apparently, authorities has suspected something ususual as well. INSIVUMEH, which is a seismology institue in Guatemala, had placed seismic monitoring equipment in the area. The city had also contracted a robotic camera to investigate the area underground, but the collapse occurred before the investigation could take place.