A gargantuan sinkhole has just open up in Chile , measure some 32 meters ( 104 feet ) in diameter and an estimated 200 meters ( 656 feet ) in depth . That ’s almost improbable enough to obscure the full Trump Tower in Manhattan .
The sink was discovered on Saturday , July 30 near the townsfolk of Tierra Amarilla in the Atacama region at the site of the Minera Ojos del Salado fuzz mine , according to Chile ’s National Service of Geology and Mining ( Sernageomin ) .
The majority stakeholder of the atomic number 29 mine is Canadian bay window Lundin Mining while the minority percentage is hold by Japan ’s Sumitomo Corporation . Lundin Miningacknowledged the sinkholeon Monday , but had little else to say on the matter other than precautionary measures were being taken and all was under control .
Fortunately , it looks like no one was injured .
“ This event did not affect people , equipment , or facilities both inside and on the surface of the mine . The company suspend the work settle in the upright of the sinkhole , trying , at all time , to protect the hoi polloi who work in Alcaparrosa . In the same direction , Minera Ojos del Salado fenced the border of the sinkhole to protect the community ” , David Montenegro , National Director of Sernageomin , said in astatement .
This latest incident managed to debar any casualties , but nearby occupier of the mine reverence this might not be the last prison term a sinkhole opens up – and next metre they might not be so favorable
“ Today it go on in this space , on an agricultural place , but our keen fear today is that this could take place in a populated place , on a street , in a school , and protecting the unity of our indweller is our greatest care at the moment , ” mayor of the commune , Cristóbal Zúñiga , told local mediaCiudadano ADN .
Sinkholes can arisefor a sort of reasons , but they ’re generally make by the ceiling of an underground cave system tumble . Often this can occur naturally by more or less acidic rainwater eroding away material from the soluble rock candy roof , resulting in the roof caving in .
On the other manus , some local occupier in the Tierra Amarilla commune defendant that the local mining operations may have been a factor in the collapse . This , however , is yet to be proven .
“ The Government , the National Service of Geology and Mining of Chile ( Sernageomin ) , and this company must be held responsible for and it must be investigated speedily , regarding what happened and why … , ” said Zúñiga .
" Sernageomin must get its act together and do a practiced job to clear up whether this is connected to minelaying activity or due to nature . "
