The creations of nature are always fascinating, especially if they are objects of gigantic proportions. There are huge holes in the earth's crust of simply incredible sizes. However, their authorship does not always belong to nature, a man-made large hole can also cause shock to others.
Quarry in Yakutia
Scientists cannot give an exact answer about the nature of the occurrence of most giant natural holes. The sight is as impressive as it is dangerous. The abyss can open up almost anywhere, swallowing houses, cars, and people. Here are the most famous holes of various origins.
In Yakutia is one of the largest quarries on the entire planet. Its dimensions are more than 0.5 km in depth and almost one and a half kilometers in diameter. The career is given the name - kimberlite pipe "Mir". It was opened in the 50s of the twentieth century and worked until 2001. All this time, kimberlite ore, which is rich in diamonds, was mined here in an open way. Today, it is not profitable to extract the remaining ore reserves in an open way, so underground mines have been built. Large holes in the ground can be created by human hands.
Other man-made holes
The largest quarry on the planet created by man is Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine. It is located in Utah. In a quarry, mining is conducted in an open way. The width of the mine is almost 8 km, and the depth reaches four kilometers. The quarry was opened in 1863, and mining is ongoing today, so its size is constantly increasing.
In Canada, there is a quarry on the islands where diamonds are mined. It is called Dyavik. Around it grew all the necessary infrastructure, and even the airport.
The largest quarry, which was created by man without the use of special equipment, is located in South Africa. A large hole in the past was the place where diamond ore is mined. The perimeter of this mine is about 1.5 km long and over 460 meters wide. Now this mine is a means of attracting tourists to the city. The giant hole was called the Kimberlite pipe. A large hole is striking in its dimensions.
Local Attractions
In northern California, there is the Monticello Dam's Dam. In the dam reservoir there is a funnel through which water flows. The depth of the funnel is more than 21 meters, its upper part is 21 meters across, and the bottom is 8.5 meters. Through such a giant drain, an excess supply of water is drained from the reservoir. A large hole can easily become a local attraction. People like to visit places that are terrifying for their size.
In Guatemala, a huge karst dip was formed, triggered by heavy rains and rising groundwater levels. According to eyewitnesses, even a few days before the formation of the funnel, local residents heard a rumble from beneath the ground and sensed soil shifts. As a result of the tragedy, people died and more than ten houses were destroyed.
A large blue hole is located in Lighthouse Reef Atoll. In fact, this is a karst depression up to 120 meters deep, with more than 300 meters across. The discoverer of this funnel was the famous scientist Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The nature of the blue hole formation is scientifically explained. During the ice age, this relief looked like a system of calcareous caves. Over time, when the ocean level rose significantly, the caves were flooded, and its arches, consisting of porous limestone, collapsed. The blue hole is one of the ten most successful places for scuba diving.
Holes of unknown origin
Holes in the earth appear both in desert areas and in areas that are densely populated by people. Unfortunately, often the appearance of such faults leads to tragic victims. Here are some of these cases of holes in the ground:
- In 2010, a huge round funnel appeared in Guatemala, destroying the garment factory. The reason for the appearance of such a break was stormy rains. Of course, the big blue hole is larger, but even these formations cause horror among the local population.
- In New Zealand, the abyss opened to a depth of fifteen and a width of fifty meters. The house fell into failure, together with the family in it. Miraculously, victims were avoided. The reason was the collapse of an abandoned mine.
Funnels in China
In 2010, in China, in the middle of the road, a large hole opened. Due to a soil shift, the hospital was destroyed some time later.
In 2012, also in China, a hole appeared on the road into which a large truck got. The driver managed to avoid falling into the abyss due to the fact that the cab remained on the surface, and only the trailer hung in the pit.
In 2013, a large hole formed up to 20 meters across on a Chinese rice plantation in Huan Province. In less than six months, about twenty such failures appeared in the area. It turned out that industrial activity in the area upset the balance of groundwater, which led to the formation of holes.
Huge holes in the ground can be a beautiful sight if they are in the wild. Such places often become tourist attractions. But holes that arise as a result of human activity can be extremely dangerous. Therefore, when conducting his industrial activity, a person should always think about the consequences to which it can lead.