Talk:Sinkhole swallows twelve houses in Guatemala

we really need a photograph of this. --Nzgabriel | Talk 09:17, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Does this qualify for a fair use picture? -- Zanimum 15:40, 5 March 2007 (UTC)

The title seems very sensationalist...

probably not caused directly by leaking sewage

Just want to point out that the heavy rains and leaking sewer were probably important contributors to this event but it was destined to happen sooner or later no matter what. The void below these homes had been developing in the limestone for probably millions of years slowly working its way closer to the surface.

Too bad about the sewage because I'd be willing to bet that many residents get their water from the same aquifers that the sewer is draining into.

Incidentally most sinkhole collapses and subsidence can be attributed to lowering of the water table through heavy use of ground water. This is becoming more common in places such as Texas and Florida where underground water is a major source and is removed faster than it can be replenished.

See Broken_stormwater_drain_led_to_Guatemala_sinkhole for info from a civil engineer on the scene. The sewer eroded some of the poorly-compacted landfill into a canyon. I don't know what to do with this story, since it doesn't even get the date right. -- Dan Hoey 16:30, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

My mistake--I was looking at the dateline. Thanks to Stevenfruitsmaak for adding the update tag. Also, the updated article explains better that the poorly-compacted fill was probably washed out through the main sewer pipe into the canyon, forming a cavern that is twice as wide at the base as at the top. -- Dan Hoey 18:40, 14 March 2007 (UTC)