MECENCANI, Croatia (AP) – After the deadly earthquake came the sinkholes.
A central Croatian region, about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital, Zagreb, has been filled with round holes of all sizes, which appeared after the 6.4 magnitude earthquake in December that killed seven people and caused widespread devastation.
Scientists flocked to Mecencani and other towns in the sparsely populated region for observation and study.
“These are the so-called sinkholes, and they appeared due to the specific geological composition of this area, as the soil rests on limestone rocks that are very saturated with groundwater,” said geologist Josip Terzic of the Croatian Geological Survey.
Although the occurrence of sinkholes is not uncommon after strong seismic activity, residents were stunned by their numbers – about 100 were spotted in the past two months – and the speed with which they emerged after the biggest earthquake on December 29, followed by a series of aftershocks. Geologists said the rate is accelerating the process of sinkhole formation, which would normally take years, if not decades.
Terzic said scientists are planning different research methods to determine the morphology and other characteristics of the water. He was talking to The Associated Press when he stood next to a large sinkhole that he said was up to 15 meters deep and equally wide.
Some sinkholes appeared at people’s homes or on their fields, asking the authorities to be careful. Mecencani teacher Nenad Tomasevic said it seemed too much.
‘The earthquake itself felt quite unpleasant to say the least. And then these holes started popping up, ”says Tomasevic, who had to move to a neighbor’s house after a hole appeared in his backyard.
“Experts say that these sinkholes would have formed naturally over time anyway, but the earthquake unfortunately had a catalyst that accelerated the whole process,” he added.
About three months after the earthquake, the area hardest hit is still struggling with its devastation, with many houses still lying in ruins and the capital Petrinja in the region, semi-deserted. Occasionally earthquakes, including those of magnitude 4 or more, can still be felt, further upsetting residents and further increasing coronavirus pandemic misery.