Sinkholes

I am not sure about you, but the thought of sinkholes really freaks me out!  As I watched the CNN video clip, I was again shocked at the depth and magnitude of the sinkhole the news anchor was standing in (CNN, 2013)!  It was massive!  Sinkholes can be caused either by the deterioration of the rock structure underneath the earth, or can be caused by man.  The Hyndman text describes sinkhole formation as land being over a limestone structure.  When that ground over top of the structure collapses, that is when a sinkhole is formed (Hyndman, 2017).  Natural sinkholes can either be caused by erosion, or deterioration.  The deterioration is caused most often by water dissolving the different rocks such as limestone, carbonate rocks, or salt beds as the level of groundwater progresses and regresses (Perlman, 2016).  When there is excessive rainfall, the water absorbing into the ground aquifers becomes acidic as it passes through decaying material (Rinkesh, 2016).  During times of drought the caverns are exposed.  When more rainfall comes, it erodes or disintegrates the rocks and minerals, which eventually leads to a weakened underground structure.  When it gets to that weakened state, it cannot support the land above it and it will collapse.  People are also responsible for the formation of some sinkholes through their breaches of the ground through "drilling, mining, construction, broken water or drain pipes, improperly compacted soil after excavation work, or even heavy traffic" (Rinkesh, 2016).  I am certainly glad that I do not live in an area that is prone to sinkholes, but I am now more aware that it can happen anywhere, especially if it is caused by humans interacting with the ground! 

CNN (2013, March 04). Retrieved April 24, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RC9LP9lq5Y

Hyndman, Donald W., and David W. Hyndman. Natural hazards and disasters. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2017. Print.

Perlman, H. (2016, December 9). Sinkholes. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from https://water.usgs.gov/edu/sinkholes.html

Rinkesh. (2016, December 24). Causes, Effects and Types of Sinkholes. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-and-types-of-sinkholes.php