Guatemala’s Giant Sinkhole

Posted by NG Kids in News Bites on June 10, 2010
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A giant sinkhole appeared in downtown Guatemala City, Guatemala on May 30. It’s about 60 feet (18 meters) wide, and appears to be 30 stories deep! Scientists think that tropical storm Agatha caused the sinkhole to form, although one geologist believes that it may have been because of leaky pipes.

Guatemala City is built on ground known as pumice fill that came from many past volcanic eruptions. Water soaked the loose, gravelly ground particles under the topsoil and the particles shifted causing the top layer to collapse.

See pictures and learn more about the giant sinkhole on National Geographic News.

Get facts about Guatemala on National Geographic Kids.

What’s it like to live in Guatemala? Read Keli’s blog and find out.

Photograph by Daniel LeClair, Reuters

Tags: , ,
Categories: Weather and Geology

Comments

  1. escape2books
    June 10, 2010, 8:29 pm

    hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…………

  2. climber
    June 10, 2010, 9:29 pm

    It can’t be pipes!! the hole is to wide!!

  3. jindo2108
    June 10, 2010, 11:12 pm

    wow!!I almost got a heart attack when I saw this photo! That’s amazing!

  4. Anonymous
    June 11, 2010, 5:01 pm

    Whoa, I thought sinkholes like that were only found in books and movies!

  5. PurpleAnimalLUV
    June 13, 2010, 8:58 am

    Oh dear. Was anyone hurt? That’s pretty freaky.

  6. CJNGKFAN17
    June 15, 2010, 7:50 pm

    This is actually the second sinkhole in Guatemala, the first one appeared in 2007. The week that this one appeared one of the active volcanoes erupted and expelled volcanic sand.

  7. dpilgrim
    June 16, 2010, 8:41 am

    wowwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. 2hermione3
    June 16, 2010, 1:30 pm

    now that is what i call scary!

  9. green help18
    June 16, 2010, 4:58 pm

    Wow, 30 stories deep? That’s very far ino the earth”s crust

  10. yoyoat
    June 16, 2010, 6:22 pm

    thats goast frekie

  11. Poster987
    June 17, 2010, 5:28 pm

    Thats very unusual! Interesting also, though. I don’t think it would be pipes…hopefully nobody was hurt during the collapse! A very unusual piece!

  12. climber
    June 19, 2010, 8:46 am

    i agree with poster

  13. whale lover
    June 19, 2010, 5:04 pm

    I would freak out if that ever happened in my town.that is scary!I hopoe no one was injured.

  14. mshem
    June 19, 2010, 6:55 pm

    Wow that just came out of the blue. I hope no one was hurt. That’s crazy.

  15. tnc1999
    June 20, 2010, 11:25 am

    Wow, thats the second sinkhole they have had. I hope know one died!

  16. tnc1999
    June 20, 2010, 11:27 am

    it wasn’t the pipes it couldn’t possibly be that large it was erosion

  17. cutiprincess
    June 21, 2010, 10:01 am

    This sinkhole is absolutely huge! Around 152 people have lost their lives due to this horrific misfortune. This is a very sad occurance, but I must say how facinating it truly is!

  18. mshem
    June 21, 2010, 11:26 am

    I know I agree !

  19. mshem
    June 21, 2010, 11:31 am

    wwwwwwwwwwoooooooooowwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  20. dancer
    June 21, 2010, 3:55 pm

    Woah! With all the earthquakes and now this, it reminds me of 2012. Scary!

  21. Splash Zone
    June 22, 2010, 11:36 am

    Woah!! Now thats one big hole. I allmost can’t believe it.

  22. escape2books
    June 22, 2010, 12:43 pm

    dancer- 2012…???????????????? I am sorry could you explain?

  23. cda
    June 22, 2010, 1:22 pm

    2012 is when some people think that the world will end.
    that hole is sooooooo creepy!
    it’s sad that those people inside the building died.

  24. cda
    June 22, 2010, 1:42 pm

    woooooow!!!
    check out the pictures from above!!!!!!
    looks like there is no bottom!!!!!!
    sorry about the last comment.
    didn’t know what i was talking about.
    2012 is a movie.

  25. cda
    June 22, 2010, 1:56 pm

    hay there was one in Daisetta Texas
    CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  26. booksaremyfav.
    June 23, 2010, 11:48 am

    Holy Cow!! That is scary. I hope no one got hurt.

  27. chocolate
    June 24, 2010, 8:00 pm

    feels like the world is gonna end. almost like a movie where amazing stuff has been happening everywhere. wow…

  28. photographyrocks247
    June 27, 2010, 12:01 am

    That’s scary!!!

  29. climber
    June 30, 2010, 8:24 pm

    CrEaPeS!

  30. oceangirl15
    April 14, 2012, 3:05 pm

    To CJNGKFAN17,
    Wait, this is their SECOND sinkhole? What happened in the first?

  31. oceangirl15
    May 8, 2012, 6:21 pm

    Will someone tell what happened in Guatemala’s first sinkhole? What year did it happen? I never heard about the first sinkhole. Thanks! :}

  32. crabbycrab66
    May 18, 2012, 11:38 am

    wwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

  33. crabbycrab66
    May 18, 2012, 11:40 am

    probably not pipes

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