Incredible Facts
Imagine that you are calmly walking down the street, when suddenly the earth begins to shake and a huge hole suddenly forms under you. This is not a horror movie script, but a phenomenon called sinkhole, which can reach incredible sizes and absorb everything that is on the surface.
The other day in Florida, USA, a 37-year-old man was swallowed by a huge hole, which opened right in his bedroom while he slept.
sinkhole about 6 meters wide and more than 15 meters deep led to the collapse of the concrete floor in the house.
Five other people in the house heard the loud noise and the man's screams, but they were not hurt. Affected Jeff Bush (Jeff Bush), most likely did not survive after he fell into the ground.
sinkhole
A sinkhole that has suddenly opened up in Florida is a phenomenon that is more common than we think. What causes them and how dangerous are they?
Most sinkholes form when acid rain water gradually dissolves limestone and other soils, leaving a huge void that leads to collapse of what is on the surface, whether it be an open field, a road or a house.
Collapse can occur suddenly, or it can simply lead to gradual subsidence of the soil or the formation of small reservoirs and salt marshes.
Sinkholes are found everywhere, especially in the USA, China, Mexico and Papua New Guinea.
The biggest holes in the earth
Here are some photos of huge holes swallowing up streets, sidewalks and buildings around the world.
1. Sarisarinam Plateau, Venezuela
The Sarisariñama Plateau is located in the Jaua-Sarisarinama Park in Venezuela and is one of the mysterious and beautiful natural wonders of the world. There are several dips on the plateau up to 350 meters in diameter and 350 meters deep.
Each hole has developed its own ecosystem with unique species of animals and plants.
2. Failure in Berezniki, Russia
The failure in Berezniki was formed in 1986 as a result of an accident at the mine, and every year the situation only worsened. In 2007, the size of the dip at the first mine was 80 by 20 meters, and depth up to 200 meters. By the end of August 2012, the fourth funnel had grown to 103 by 100 meters.
3. Hole in Guatemala
In February 2007, in Guatemala, a sinkhole 100 meters deep swallowed up more than a dozen houses. More than 100 people were evacuated and three people died. The hole was the result of corrosion of the sewer system deep below the surface. The failure was accompanied by loud sounds, and an unbearable smell emanated from the hole.
Another hole formed in Guatemala in 2010 18 meters wide and 60 meters deep.
4. Bimmah, Oman
The Bimmah Sinkhole is a limestone crater that is now a popular tourist attraction in Oman.
Other holes in the ground
5. In May 1981, a giant hole formed during the day in Winter Park in Florida, USA. The city has turned this area into an urban lake.
6. In 1995, a sinkhole 18 meters deep, measuring 60 by 45 meters, swallowed up two houses in San Francisco.
7. In the city of Dycett, Texas in the USA, a relatively small 6-meter sinkhole has expanded to 270 meters per day.
8. In November 2003, rescuers had to pull out a bus in Lisbon, Portugal, after it fell into a hole. 9 meters deep that was supposedly caused by heavy rains.
9. In March 2007, a road collapsed into an underground network of caves in the southern Italian city of Gallipoli.
10. In September 2008, the road collapsed, forming a failure 5 meters deep and 10 meters wide in Guangzhou Province, China.
11. In May 2012, a hole formed on the road in Shaanxi Province, China. 15 meters long, 10 meters wide and 6 meters deep.
12. Another road in this province failed in December 2012, resulting in a hole 6 meters deep and 10 meters wide.
Our planet is amazing. Undoubtedly, pits and holes on the surface of the earth, whether man-made or created by nature, have always been unusual. TravelAsk will tell about the deepest holes today.
TOP-1: Mir kimberlite pipe in Yakutia
Even from one look at this diamond quarry it becomes scary. Imagine how you feel when you stand on its edge. This is one of the deepest quarries in the world, its depth is 525 meters and its diameter is 1.2 kilometers. True, diamond mining was stopped here back in 2001, and now underground mines are being built here, some of them have already been put into operation, since open-pit mining is already unprofitable. With the help of such mines, they plan to work out the remnants of diamond reserves under the quarry.
TOP 2: Big Hole Kimberlite Pipe in South Africa
This is a huge diamond quarry, which is made by hand. It is considered the largest mine in the world, made without the use of special equipment. It is located in the city of Kimberley in (by the way, it was this city that gave the names to the rest of the kimberlite pipes in the world).
Now the quarry is not working, but for almost 50 years (from 1866 to 1914) about 50 thousand miners managed to work here. They dug this shaft with shovels and pickaxes, mining a huge amount of diamonds: 2,722 tons.
Quarry area is impressive: 17 hectares. It is 463 meters wide and 240 meters deep. However, the hole was covered with waste rock, thereby reducing the depth to 215 meters. Later, the bottom of the "Big Hole" was filled with water.
Today, the quarry attracts tourists, but only creates problems for the region: after all, its edges can collapse, and it’s dangerous to drive along the roads that are laid nearby. Therefore, trucks have long been banned from passing through this territory, and cars are advised to choose other routes.
By the way, it was here that the largest diamonds were found: De Beers at 428.5 carats, known for its bluish-white Porter Rhodes at 150 carats, as well as the orange-yellow Tiffany at 128.5 carats.
TOP 3: Great Blue Hole in Belize
This is one of the most beautiful places on the planet and the main attraction of Belize. Tourists from all over the world come to see it. Moreover, despite the fact that the Great Blue Hole is located almost 100 kilometers from Belize, diving enthusiasts still come here.
Once they were limestone caves that were formed during the last ice age. After raising the level of the world's oceans, the arches of the cave simply collapsed, and this is how this karst funnel was formed.
The blue hole has an almost perfect round shape, surrounded by white-green rock protruding above it. It goes to a depth of 120 meters, and a diameter of 305 meters.
TOP 4: Drainage in the Monticello Dam
This is the largest water drain in the world, look how powerful it is, it feels like nothing will be left of the lake in a few minutes.
This artificial funnel functions as a valve and releases excess water from the dam reservoir.
In fact, this is a giant pipe made of concrete with a depth of about 21 meters. In its shape, it resembles an inverted cone with a base of 9 meters and a top of 22 meters. The pipe brings water out of the other side of the dam for about 200 meters when the reservoir is overflowing with water.
Top 5: failure in Guatemala
And this failure was formed just in one day. Just imagine, on the night of February 27, 2007, the ground on one of the streets of Guatemala simply collapsed. Several houses went into the pit, people died. The depth of this giant funnel was approximately 150 meters, and the diameter was 20 meters.
As the results of geologists' research have shown, the reasons for this failure are groundwater. The downpours that hit the city also contributed to the tragedy. By the way, some time before the failure, people began to feel strange noises and hum coming from the ground. And it simply washed out the soil. Under your feet.
And our TOP did not include two huge man-made pits: and. They deserve separate stories.
Kimberlite pipe "Mir" (Mir diamond pipe), Russia, Yakutia. 1200 meters outer diameter and 525 meters deep. Chronology of development: 06/13/1955 - the kimberlite diamond pipe "Mir" was discovered, - geologists of the Amakinsky expedition Yu.I. Khabardin, E.N. Elagin and V.P. Avdeenko. 06. 1956 - a decision was made by the MCM of the USSR to start commercial operation of the Mir pipe. April 30, 2004 - the last ton of ore was mined. Kimberlite pipe "Big Hole", South Africa. The largest dug out by "hands" is 1097 meters deep. More than 22 million tons of rock were moved to the surface and 3 tons of diamonds were mined. Development completed in 1914. Between 1866 and 1914, about 50,000 miners dug the shaft with picks and shovels, producing 2,722 tons of diamonds (14.5 million carats) in the process. During the development of the quarry, 22.5 million tons of soil were extracted. It was here that such famous diamonds as "De Beers" (428.5 carats), bluish-white "Porter Rhodes" (150 carats), orange-yellow "Tiffany" (128.5 carats) were found. At present, this diamond deposit has been exhausted. The area of the "Big Hole" is 17 hectares. Its diameter is 1.6 km. The hole was dug to a depth of 240 meters, but then was filled with waste rock to a depth of 215 meters, currently the bottom of the hole is filled with water, its depth is 40 meters. At the site of the mine earlier (about 70 - 130 million years ago) there was a crater of a volcano. Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah. The largest active quarry in the world - the development of copper began in 1863 and is still going on. About a kilometer deep and three and a half kilometers wide Diavik Quarry surrounded by water, Canada. Diamonds are mined here. The quarry is located on the islands and has its own infrastructure with an airport capable of receiving passenger Boeings. Great Blue Hole (Giant blue hole), Belize. Width 400 meters, depth about 145 - 160 meters. A favorite place for professional divers from all over the world. The details of the origin of this hole are not fully understood. Drainage hole in the Monticello Dam's dam reservoir, in northern California. This pipe is capable of passing 1370 cubic meters of water per second through itself. The depth is 21 meters. It has the shape of a cone, the diameter of which is 21.6 meters at the top, and narrows to 8 .4 meters. Serves to discharge excess water in the reservoir reservoir. 
Karst sinkhole in Guatemala. A giant funnel 150 meters deep and 20 meters in diameter. Caused by groundwater and rain. During the formation of the failure, several people died and about a dozen houses were destroyed. According to local residents, from about the beginning of February, ground movements were felt in the area of the future tragedy, and a muffled rumble was heard from under the ground.
Our world is filled with majestic sights. Some of the spectacular wonders of the planet are man-made, but most of them are related to nature. These include the mysterious holes on Earth.
Mystery Hole Deluxe
Its origin is still a mystery. No one can explain how it was formed. And even with the most innovative methods, it is impossible to measure its depth!
glory hole
Located on the beautiful Monticello Dam. The Glory Hole seems like a tunnel into the very depths of the planet! However, it is designed to release water.
Funnel Soumill
Located in the Bahamas, and in fact is a place of archaeological research. This place helped scientists understand what the Earth looked like thousands of years ago.
Devil's Funnel
Judging by the appearance, this place can hardly be called the Devil's Funnel. But this is a forbidden area, as it is very dangerous. In summer, you can see millions of bats flying out of the abyss.
big blue hole
It can be seen in the Caribbean. During the last ice age, a system of caves formed here. The hole is considered one of the best diving sites in the world.
Dean's Blue Hole
If you go to the Bahamas, be sure to visit Dean's Blue Hole. It is considered the deepest blue hole on the planet, and therefore ideal for diving enthusiasts.
harwood hole
Interestingly, this is more of a cave than a hole. This is the deepest vertical cave in New Zealand.
Diamond mine "Mirnaya"
Giant in size (525 meters deep and 1200 meters wide), an open-pit diamond mine is considered the second largest excavated hole in the world.
Kimberlite pipe "Udachnaya"
In addition to the Mirny mine, diamonds are also mined in the Udachnoy pipe, which is located 20 km from the Arctic Circle.
Sky Hole (Tianken Xiaozhai)
Believe it or not, it was formed over 120,000 years ago. Today, the hole has become an ideal place for skydiving enthusiasts.
Bingham Canyon
To the west of Salt Lake City is one of the largest open pit mines in the world where copper ore is mined.
Hole in Guatemala
In 2010, a hole 20 meters deep formed in the capital of Guatemala. She not only destroyed the road, but also swallowed up a three-story factory. There were many versions of the formation of a funnel. The main ones are the eruption of the Pacaya volcano, a tropical storm and water leakage from nearby sewer pipes.
Source: elitereaders.com
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Among the amazing natural phenomena, one can certainly include periodically opening in different places the globe holes.
1. Kimberlite pipe "Mir" (Mir diamond pipe), Yakutia.
The Mir kimberlite pipe is a quarry located in the city of Mirny, Yakutia. The quarry has a depth of 525 m and a diameter of 1.2 km and is one of the largest quarries in the world. Mining of diamondiferous kimberlite ore was stopped in June 2001. Currently, an underground mine of the same name is being built on board the quarry to develop the remaining under-quarry reserves, the extraction of which by open pit is unprofitable.
The world's largest diamond quarry is amazing.
2.Kimberlite pipe "Big hole", South Africa.
Big Hole - a huge inactive diamond mine in the city of Kimberley (South Africa). It is believed that this is the largest quarry developed by people without the use of technology. It is currently the main attraction of the city of Kimberley.
Between 1866 and 1914, about 50,000 miners dug the shaft with picks and shovels, producing 2,722 tons of diamonds (14.5 million carats) in the process. During the development of the quarry, 22.5 million tons of soil were extracted. It was here that such famous diamonds as "De Beers" (428.5 carats), bluish-white "Porter Rhodes" (150 carats), orange-yellow " Tiffany" (128.5 carats). At present, this diamond deposit has been exhausted. The area of the "Big Hole" is 17 hectares. Its diameter is 1.6 km. The hole was dug to a depth of 240 meters, but then was filled with waste rock to a depth of 215 meters, currently the bottom of the hole is filled with water, its depth is 40 meters.
At the site of the mine earlier (about 70 - 130 million years ago) there was a volcano mouth. Almost a hundred years ago - in 1914, the development in the "Big Hole" was stopped, but the gaping mouth of the pipe remains to this day and now serves only as a bait for tourists, acting as a museum. And…begins to create problems. In particular, there was a serious danger of collapse not only of its edges, but also of the roads laid in its immediate vicinity. The South African road authorities have long banned the passage of heavy goods vehicles in these places, and now they strongly recommend that all other drivers avoid driving along Bultfontein Road in the Big Hole area. The authorities are going to completely block dangerous area roads. And the largest diamond company in the world, De Beers, which has owned this mine since 1888, did not find anything better than to get rid of it by putting it up for sale.
3. Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, Utah.
The largest active quarry in the world - the development of copper began in 1863 and is still going on. About a kilometer deep and three and a half kilometers wide.
It is the world's largest anthropogenic formation (dug out by man). It is an open pit mine.
As of 2008, it measures 0.75 miles (1.2 km) deep, 2.5 miles (4 km) wide and covers an area of 1,900 acres (7.7 sq km).
The ore was first discovered in 1850, and quarrying began in 1863, which continues to this day.
Currently, the quarry employs 1,400 people who extract 450,000 tons (408 thousand tons) of rock daily. The ore is loaded onto 64 large dump trucks capable of hauling 231 tons of ore, these trucks cost about US$3 million each.
4. Quarry "Dyavik" (Diavik), Canada. Diamonds are mined.
The Canadian quarry "Diavik" is perhaps one of the youngest (by development) diamond kimberlite pipes. It was first explored only in 1992, the infrastructure was created by 2001, and diamond mining began in January 2003. Presumably, the mine will last from 16 to 22 years.
The place of its exit to the surface of the earth is unique in itself. Firstly, this is not one, but three pipes at once, formed on the island of Las de Gras, about 220 km south of the Arctic Circle, off the coast of Canada. Because the hole is huge and the island is in the middle Pacific Ocean small, only 20 km²
and in a short time the Diavik diamond mine became one of the most important components of the Canadian economy. Up to 8 million carats (1600 kg) of diamonds are mined from this deposit annually. An airfield has been built on one of its neighboring islands, capable of receiving even huge Boeings. In June 2007, a consortium of seven mining companies announced their intention to sponsor environmental studies and begin construction on Canada's North Shore of a major port to receive cargo ships up to 25,000 tons, as well as a 211 km access road that would connect the port to the consortium's plants. . And this means that the hole in the ocean will grow and deepen.
5. Great Blue Hole, Belize.
The world-famous Great Blue Hole (“Great Blue Hole”) is the main attraction of the picturesque, ecologically perfectly clean Belize (formerly British Honduras) - a state in Central America, in the Yucatan Peninsula. No, this time it's not a kimberlite pipe. Not diamonds are “mined” from it, but tourists - diving enthusiasts from all over the world, thanks to which it feeds the country no worse than a diamond pipe. Probably, it would be better to call it not the “Blue Hole”, but the “Blue Dream”, since this can only be seen in dreams or in a dream. This is a true masterpiece, a miracle of nature - a perfectly round, twilight blue spot in the middle caribbean, surrounded by a Lighthouse Reef lace front.
View from space!
Width 400 meters, depth 145 - 160 meters.
As if floating above the abyss ...
6. Drainage hole in the reservoir of the Monticello dam.
A large man-made hole is located in Northern California, USA. But it's not just a hole. The drain hole in the reservoir of the Monticello Dam is the largest spillway in the world! It was built about 55 years ago. This funnel-shaped exit is simply indispensable here. It allows you to quickly dump excess water from the tank when its level exceeds the allowable rate. A kind of safety valve.
Visually, the funnel looks like a giant concrete pipe. It is capable of passing through itself in a second as much as 1370 cubic meters. m of water! The depth of such a hole is about 21 m. From top to bottom, it has the shape of a cone, the diameter of which at the top reaches almost 22 m, and narrows down to 9 m and exits from the other side of the dam, removing excess water when the reservoir overflows. The distance from the pipe to the exit point, which is located slightly to the south, is approximately 700 feet (about 200 m).
7. Karst failure in Guatemala.
A giant funnel 150 meters deep and 20 meters in diameter. Caused by groundwater and rain. During the formation of the failure, several people died and about a dozen houses were destroyed. According to local residents, from about the beginning of February, ground movements were felt in the area of the future tragedy, and a muffled rumble was heard from under the ground.
Those are the holes!
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