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Geology. What is a sinkhole? A sinkhole is a depression in the ground that has no natural external surface drainage. Basically, this means that when it rains, all of the water stays inside the sinkhole and typically drains into the subsurface. Sinkholes are most common in what geologists call, “ karst terrain .”
Oct 19, 2023 · A sinkhole is a hole in the ground that forms when water dissolves surface rock. Often, this surface rock is limestone , which is easily eroded , or worn away, by the movement of water. In a landscape where limestone sits underneath the soil, water from rainfall collects in cracks in the stone.
Jul 26, 2018 · A sinkhole is a natural hole that forms in the Earth's surface as a result of the chemical weathering of carbonate rocks like limestone, as well as salt beds or rocks that can be severely weathered as water runs through them.
Jan 9, 2016 · What is a sinkhole. They go by called many names (snake hole, swallow hole, or doline). They’re big, they appear seemingly out of nowhere, and they can “devour” houses in the blink of an eye.
Jan 8, 2024 · When a Lake Swallowed the Earth: The Story of the Louisiana Sinkhole. The residents of Bayou Corne, Louisiana, woke up one morning in 2012 and found a gigantic sinkhole devouring their town.
Aug 4, 2023 · 1. Xiaozhai Tiankeng, China. Xiaozhai Tiankeng — or Heavenly Pit — the largest known sinkhole on Earth. (Image credit: Brookqi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons) Located in Fengjie County in...
A sinkhole typically is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical and rapid dissolution of carbonate rocks or processes for example in sandstone. Sinkholes may vary in size, and vary in form from bowls to chasms. Sinkholes may form gradually or sudden, and are found worldwide.
