Are We Seeing

[DrFilth]

a large increase of sinkholes because we keep building on more and more land and the rain water is unable to drain away naturally

ps i know this is in america but we are seeing more and more in this country

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/feb/13/sinkhole-bowling-green-kentucky-cars-corvette-museum-video

[Zacs-Master]

Wiki says:
Sinkholes also form from human activity, such as the rare but still occasional collapse of abandoned mines and salt cavern storage in salt domes in places like Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. More commonly, sinkholes occur in urban areas due to water main breaks or sewer collapses when old pipes give way. They can also occur from the overpumping and extraction of groundwater and subsurface fluids.
Sinkholes can also form when natural water-drainage patterns are changed and new water-diversion systems are developed. Some sinkholes form when the land surface is changed, such as when industrial and runoff-storage ponds are created; the substantial weight of the new material can trigger an underground collapse of supporting material, thus causing a sinkhole.

So, yes, possibly.

[DrFilth]

thank you for that link

[DrFilth]

well not link but that info script -)

[LazyGun]

Seeing many more sinkholes over here in the UK too. There was a Horizon programme on recently about sinkholes, which was pretty informative and interesting too...

[Old_Geezer]

It is going to be an increasing problem as populations grow and need to live somewhere; and authorities don't have a clue as to how to govern properly and simply allow all sorts including building in unsuitable places; because the public can just put up with it and do what they are told.

[DrFilth]

lazygun thanks for that link but at present i am unable to watch it as i am very low on data credit

[Old_Jim]

We've always had the phenomenon. They are mentioned in the Bible. It's what is meant by the Earth swallowing someone up and taking them to the abyss.

Where the bedrock is limestone or chalk, draining water forms underground caves. A vertical cave is called an abyss. When an abyss breaks through the surface you get what we in England used to call a pothole (we've started using that for dents in the road) and Americans call a sinkhole.

You tend to get more of them in very wet weather which we have been getting in both the UK and USA. Preventing rainwater from draining away might cause all sorts of problems, but (if anything) it's likely to make sinkholes less likely.

[Elina]

Dr .. how you doing?