What happened to the giant sinkhole in Guatemala?

By the morning of May 30, the center of Agatha moved over the highest terrain in Central America, resulting in the dissipation of the low-level circulation. Torrential rains from the storm widened the cavity, eventually causing the collapse of the sinkhole.

How many people died from the Guatemala sinkhole?

At least 113 people were reported killed, with around 50 missing in Guatemala alone as rescue workers searched through the rubble. The 30m-diameter sinkhole opened up in a northern district of Guatemala City, with residents blaming the rains and substandard drainage systems.

Are sinkholes common in Guatemala?

After tropical storm, massive sinkhole swallows building in Guatemala City. Orndorff said that sinkholes are common in places with rocks, such as limestone and gypsum, that can be naturally dissolved by water. In those so-called “karst” areas, caves and voids form underground as the rocks dissolve, he said.

Did they fill the Guatemala sinkhole?

When these subterranean cavities get big enough, the ground above collapses and fills them in. Guatemala City’s last major crater, which opened in 2007, dropped three houses 330 feet below the city’s streets. The government spent $2.7 million redirecting sewer pipes around the area and filling the hole with cement.

Can you fill a sinkhole?

In many cases, you can fill them up with materials from home improvement stores or landscape suppliers. Sinkholes most commonly occur in karst terrain: regions where limestone, gypsum, salt beds, or other carbonate rock can be dissolved. As the rock wears away underground, the sediment slowly fills in the void.

Has anyone ever died in a sinkhole?

Deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare, but certainly not unheard of. For instance, in 2012, a 15-year-old girl died when her family’s car fell into a Utah sinkhole, according to media accounts.

Where are the worst sinkholes?

Sinkholes of China Xiaozhai Tiankeng – the deepest sinkhole in the world (over 2,100 feet), located in Fenjie Count of Chongqing Municipality.

What are the odds of dying in a sinkhole?

Sinkhole risk The actuarial risk of a catastrophic sinkhole happening is low—researchers put it at a one-in-100 chance of occurring in any given year. The U.S. Geological Survey says there is not yet an efficient system to determine if there is—or isn’t—a sinkhole on your property.