16 massive sinkholes appear in central Türkiye since start of 2022

KONYA, TÜRKİYE - (SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 / AUGUST 21, 2022): Türkiye’s central province of Konya distinguishes with more than 2000 sinkholes, created by geological factors, and the increase in the use of groundwater that leads to land subsidence. Sinkholes are a natural phenomenon but the number of sinkholes has risen substantially in recent years due to excessive use of groundwater for irrigation and drought spreading fear among locals living in the area. Professor Fetullah Arik who heads the Sinkhole Research Center at the Konya Technical University told Anadolu Agency Video News (AAVN) on Wednesday (Sept. 28) that the number of sinkholes in the Konya Plain decreased compared to last year, saying that 16 sinkholes appeared since the start of 2022. Stating that the number of sinkholes in the region is around 2,600, Prof. Arik pointed out that the main causes of sinkhole formation cannot be prevented. He said geological factors and the decrease in groundwater and drought are also effective in the formation of sinkholes. “We are experiencing a climate disaster. The production of plants that consume a lot of water continues here. The water demand is very high. Both the lack of precipitation and the excessive use of water increase the recession in the levels of groundwater,” he explained. Arik also said the newly appeared sinkholes pose a danger for people and became a threat in residential and agricultural areas. The eerie sinkholes, which are mostly in the district of Karapinar, have become one of the main attractions in the region with their unique spectacle. One of those, Cirali doline located 35 km northwest of Karapınar district stands out with its 17,500 square meter area. It contains traces of life before Christ and man-made caves inside. (Footage by Fahri Mithat Korkusuz & Basir Gulum/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)