Massive Sinkhole in Mexico Swallowed One House, Two Dogs
A huge sinkhole that appeared in Mexico last month continued to grow. It has recently swallowed up a nearby house and two dogs.
Only one bedroom and an outer wall were the only portions left after the house fell into the sinkhole, according to a New York Post report.
Herberto Sanchez has a family who lived in the said home. Sanchez said that they have nothing.
He added that they are not from around the area, without any relatives and that they are alone.
One of the residents of the house said that they heard something like a rumbling. Magdalena Xalamihua said that they thought it was fireworks, but when they looked outside, they saw the earthmoving and the water coming up like waves, according to a Vice report.
Sinkhole in Mexico
It is still not known why the sinkhole appeared in the first place. However, Mexico's national civil defense office said that it could be caused by an underground river.
Residents speculated that it could be a result of water extraction by factories in the area.
The residents of a nearby house said that they first heard strange sounds and discovered a hole around five meters in diameter.
A week later, the crater continues to grow and now measures 100 meters, according to a Forbes report.
The said sinkhole has gained public attention after a rescue operation was launched to save two dogs trapped in the hole for four days.
The dogs, Spay and Spike, were playing in the farm field surrounding the sinkhole when they fell in, according to an ABC News Go report.
The governor, Miguel Barbosa, said that they are looking how to support other farmers nearby who have been affected by the sinkhole.
Barbosa added that they will find a way to compensate them.
Meanwhile, the governor said experts are studying both possibilities for the sinkhole. He noted that if water extraction is the cause, he would cancel any permits.
The office warned people to stay away from the site in the town of Zacatepec in Puebla state.
Authorities said that this is not a tourist attraction or a place to visit with their family. They also set up metal barriers and police tape to keep onlookers out.
Officials have also restricted flying drones over the site of the sinkhole.
Sinkholes Explained
A sinkhole can be anywhere between a slight depression in the group right up to an enormous hole. It has no natural surface drainage.
With this, any water that gets into a sinkhole cannot get out via the surface, which leads it to drain downwards.
Sinkholes usually occur when the rock under the surface does not dissolve in water. However, it is made of grains that are small enough to be carried away by underground water currents.
It could also be triggered by intense rainstorms or floods or long-term leakage from sewer or storm-water pipes.
Sinkholes usually form mainly in limestone, according to an ABC Net news report.
WATCH: Huge sinkhole in Mexico threatens to swallow house | Mexico giant hole | Latest World English News -from WION
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!