[Geology2] GeoNews & Videos

Guatemala Sinkhole Pictures Intrigue, Cause Some to Doubt Authenticity

Published June 01, 2010 by:

Guatemala Sinkhole Pictures so Unusual One Newspaper Questioned Their Authenticity

Tropical storm Agatha blew into Guatemala this past weekend and, along with a death toll of over 175 throughout Central America, left extensive destruction and a rather enormous sinkhole in its wake. Pictures of the

 sinkhole, which is inside the limits of Guatemala City, have gone viral on the internet. Why? Because not only is the Guatemala City sinkhole immense, it is so symmetrical it looks as if it were bored by a machine.

In fact, several media outlets have admitted to the belief that they at first thought the pictures of the sinkhole were fake or photoshopped. The Winnipeg Free Press in Canada asked for confirmation of authenticity, they were so unsure. And with so many spurious images being passed aIong as credible or factual representations, uncertainty and the need for verification is understandable. In an update, the Free Press noted that the Associated Press had verified the authenticity of the sinkhole.

The Guatemala City sinkhole measures at least 200 feet deep and 100 feet wide. It covers an entire street intersection. According to the Los Angeles Times, a three-story clothing factory was swallowed up by the sudden subsidence. A man is still missing from the area.

If one looks closely at one of the pictures that depict the sinkhole from above, debris can be seen at the bottom of the enormous dark chasm.

Sinkholes are created by the removal of topsoil or bedrock -- sometimes both -- by water. They vary in size and form and can be found worldwide. Some are created gradually, but others, like the one in Guatemala City, appear suddenly. Guatemala was virtually inundated by three feet of rain since Saturday, which could have facilitated optimal conditions for the appearance of the sinkhole.

This isn't the first large sinkhole to appear in Guatemala City. In February 2007, part of the Guatemala City surface fell 330 feet. The pictures from that sinkhole became a worldwide sensation as well. Three people, two boys and their father, were killed when that sinkhole was created.

The pictures of the sinkhole and other images of Tropical Storm Agatha's aftermath are startling to say the least. A video from Russia Today follows... HERE

Source




An Oregonian finds a meteorite along side the road; see video HERE

And especially for Sam, my bff during our recent floods in TN, here's how to fill a quarry, Tennessee style HERE













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