What is This Huge Hole That has Appeared in the Fields of Morocco After the Earthquake?
A few days ago a huge sinkhole suddenly appeared around Had Oulad Frej, in the Moroccan region of El Jadida. Is it related to the recent earthquake that devastated the center of the country?
A new geological phenomenon has startled Morocco. A few days ago, a huge sinker suddenly appeared in some agricultural fields located around Had Oulad Frej, in the province of El Jadida. About 200 km from the epicenter of the terrible 6.8 magnitude earthquake that a few weeks ago killed about 3,000 people, mainly in the High Atlas.
Does this strange dig have anything to do with the recent earthquake?
The latest measurements indicate that this large hole reaches about 20 meters in diameter and 60 meters deep, although according to the owner of the land its size is increasing every day, forcing the area to be sealed to avoid accidents. Could the strong earthquake that hit central Morocco be behind this event?
Abdderrahmane Haradji, professor of geological and geomorphological risks at the Mohammed Primero University of the city of Oujda, explained that a significant relationship cannot be established between the earthquake and the sudden appearance of this chasm. The sudden appearance of the hole has caused surprise and fear among citizens.How do these holes form?
"This event, consisting of the sudden appearance of a giant sinker near Had Oulad Frej, is considered a rare phenomenon, but other countries have suffered it recently. There are several factors, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, that contribute to the creation of natural phenomena of this type, whose depth can reach tens of meters or, sometimes, hundreds of meters," Haradji told Le Site info.
Geologically it is a dolin, a phenomenon of soil subsidence that usually occurs in karst areas, with a type of subsoil where there are carbonated rocks subject to chemical dissolution. Caves are formed that can sometimes collapse suddenly, swallowing everything on the surface, constituting a danger to homes and infrastructure.
In these dangerous sinkings, water plays a fundamental role, eroding the subsoil from below. As can be seen in the video, the collapse of the soil has generated a circular chasm. On the other hand, the excessive exploitation of groundwater can speed up the process. In short, the recent earthquake is not the direct cause of the appearance of the dig.
The security forces arrived at the place after the notice of the owner and other neighbors in the area. Currently the chasm is cordoned off with a fence until the necessary tests are completed to try to clarify this event and avoid possible accidents, since dozens of curious people come every day to follow the evolution of this great hole.
It's not a unique phenomenon
In recent years, similar phenomena have been reported in other areas of the planet, which we have also analyzed in Meteored. Last year a ditch of about 25 meters in diameter was opened in the Alcaparrosa Mine of Tierra Amarilla, in Chile, while in the Turkish province of Konya, which extends mainly over a karst plateau, there are more than 2000 holes of this type.