Breathtaking aerial photograph

The Artificial Sinkhole in Guatemala City

We tend to think of sinkholes as terrifying natural phenomena. However, some are naturally occurring, while others are man-made. This sinkhole in the photo, unfortunately, was caused by artificial means. It occurred in a residential area of Guatemala City in 2010 and swallowed an entire building whole. Investigations suggest that burst sewer and stormwater pipes were likely the cause.

This sinkhole was estimated to be 18 meters wide and 100 meters deep, triggered by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Agatha. The ground, primarily composed of volcanic pumice, is easily eroded, leading to the formation of such sinkholes. While technically not a sinkhole by definition, one has to marvel at the drone technology used to capture this photo.