Yeah, it's real. Guatemala has a history of absurdly deep sinkholes that suddenly appear, generally as the result of long-term erosion occurring within poorly-compacted, artificially-leveled soil.
Basically, groundwater (or over-saturated soils) erode the limestone which forms caverns. Once the water moves away from the area (after the storm, the waters will run off into streams, etc) the caverns are exposed underground. Without the pressure of the water, the Earth cannot support the load above it. If there is developments above the cavern, sinkholes will likely form.
Poor stormwater system maintenance is often at the heart of the problem, with erosion slowly eating away at the soil until a major storm finishes the job and the roadbed infrastructure collapses.
Not really, it happened in the city but it's in the older part near the center or "downtown". I live just outside in one of the suburbs.
Good to here. What is the general feeling there?
___________________
quote:
Originally posted by RickyM
you're just a shit version of Moral Hazard. At least he knows what he's talking about.
quote:
Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
lol, i love it when moral feels the need to lay the smack down
Jun-01-2010 17:26
woscar
Starstuff
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Guatemala, Guatemala
Well, lots of people lost everything they had, including their loved ones. The government isn't prepared at all to handle a situation of this caliber and people are pretty much depending on the help that individuals are willing to provide and aid coming in from other countries. I'm doing all I can to help and will go with some friends to spend the weekend helping on one of the locations but sadly I don't see the same interest in the big majority of people.
Originally posted by woscar
Well, lots of people lost everything they had, including their loved ones. The government isn't prepared at all to handle a situation of this caliber and people are pretty much depending on the help that individuals are willing to provide and aid coming in from other countries. I'm doing all I can to help and will go with some friends to spend the weekend helping on one of the locations but sadly I don't see the same interest in the big majority of people.
That's really unfortunate. I take it there's rather extensive landslide damage and such. Sadly it hasn't made much news up here. I wish you well.
___________________
quote:
Originally posted by RickyM
you're just a shit version of Moral Hazard. At least he knows what he's talking about.
quote:
Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
lol, i love it when moral feels the need to lay the smack down
Jun-01-2010 18:38
woscar
Starstuff
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Guatemala, Guatemala
Massive landslides and floods, resulting in entire towns cut-off, no electricity and no water.
