The image doesn't look real when you first see it. But video cameras have now proved that the enormous sink hole that appeared in a suburb of Guatemala City is no trick of photography. Rainfall from a hurricane that lashed the central American country in recent days was responsible for the hole, which swallowed a three-story factory last weekend. Perfectly round, it is estimated to be 60 feet wide and 30 stories deep. "The photo is so astonishing, some have thought it was photoshopped," says Frank James at NPR. But massive sinkholes — formed when water erodes underground limestone deposits — "have formed before in built-up areas of Guatemala City." Brian Donovan at True/Slant suggests that an immeasurably deep hole could actually have some benefits: "BP, meet sinkhole. Problem solved." Here's the video, shot from above:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain
-
5 dreamy books to dive into this JulyThe Week Recommends A 'politically charged' collection of essays, historical fiction goes sci-fi and more
-
6 sleek homes for modernistsFeature Featuring a concrete-and-steel home in South Carolina and a renovated 19th-century former carriage house in Pennsylvania
