Sinkholes

geology · earth science · natural disasters · underground

Ground gives way. A sinkhole forms when the rock or soil under the surface gets weak and caves in, creating a sudden depression or hole. This can happen gradually over time or very quickly without warning.

Water causes collapse. Most sinkholes are created by water dissolving underground rock like limestone or salt, or by water washing away soil beneath the surface until it can no longer support the ground above.

Types with cool names. Different sinkholes have interesting names: a cenote is a sinkhole that opens up and exposes the groundwater below, while a swallow hole is where surface water drains into underground passages.

They swallow things. Sinkholes can be tiny or huge, some are small enough to fit in your hand, while others are big enough to swallow cars, buildings, or trees whole!

Easy to spot. You might notice a sinkhole by a circular depression in the ground, cracks in the earth, or sudden drops in the landscape where water drains away mysteriously.