By Antonio Nuñez and Tino Hernandez  

Throughout the course of the last month, there have been numerous reports concerning sinkholes and the destruction they have caused. Within the last 30 days there have been over 100 sinkholes reported globally, this has left many in shock for sinkholes are a disaster that were rarely ever seen. Many are wondering what causes these monstrosities and what they can do to help prevent one or at the very least survive one.

Sinkholes or “swallow holes” are enormous circular gaps that are created on the ground, these “natural disasters” are not believed to be that “natural” anymore due to the fact that the most recent sinkholes were actually triggered by human activity.

Sinkholes are formed in mostly rainy areas that are built on limestone, they are created when the ground starts to develop creases and water begins to enter the surface. The water is then filtered through the soil and is released as acid, causing the layers to dissolve and push its way deep into the land. As the acidic liquid progresses downward, it makes sure to pull down or “swallow” anything and everything that is nearby.

Although there are various ways to anticipate when a sinkhole may occur, there is no way to anticipate where it will occur. Therefore the best way to prevent being dragged down a “swallet”  is to avoid traveling through places built over limestone, especially on rainy days.

In conclusion, sinkholes have proven their destructiveness and therefore should not be taken lightly. They can cause severe destruction and with the wet winter season approaching, we can expect the reports concerning these massive natural disasters to increase drastically.