These are the top 10 strange holes on Earth which are geographical phenomena and most astounding sites in the world. Some them are made occasionally by nature but some by the man in search for the mining wealth. Here we point out the top ten biggest and strangest of them.
Number 10: Great Blue Hole, Belize
The Great Blue Hole is a giant submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 m (984 ft.) across and 108 m (354 ft.) deep. It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower. Analysis of stalactites found in the Great Blue Hole shows that formation took place 153,000; 66,000; 60,000; and 15,000 years ago. As the ocean began to rise again, the cave was flooded. The Great Blue Hole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blue_HoleNumber 9: Bingham Canyon Mine, USA
The Bingham Canyon Mine, more commonly known as Kennecott Copper Mine among locals, is an open-pit mining operation extracting a large porphyry copper deposit southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, in the Equerry Mountains. The mine is the largest man-made excavation in the world. The mine is owned by Rio Tinto Group, an international mining and exploration company headquartered in the United Kingdom. The mine has been in production since 1906, and has resulted in the creation of a pit over 0.6 miles (970 m) deep, 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, and covering 1,900 acres (770 ha). It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 under the name Bingham Canyon Open Pit Copper Mine.
Number 8: The Devil’s Sinkhole, Rocksprings
The Devil's Sinkhole is a vertical natural bat habitat. The 40 by 60 feet (12.2 m × 18.3 m) opening drops down to reveal a cavern some 400 feet (122 m) below. The cavern was first discovered by local residents in 1876. H. S. Barber carved his name inside the cave in 1889. The area was transferred to the state of Texas in 1985, and open to the public in 1992. Carved by water erosion, the cavern is home to several million Mexican free-tailed bats who emerge at sunset during April through October.
Number 7: Dead Sea Holes
The Israeli town of Ein Gedi has over 3,000 open sinkholes along its coast. Experts believe there are twice as many more that have yet to open up.
The Dead Sea is drying up at a rate of 1 metre per year, causing sinkholes. The sinkholes occurred because of the chronic water shortage in the area, an issue compounded in recent years by a large and growing population. The sinkholes attract many tourists, which leads to further water shortage and even more sinkholes. The situation is further exacerbated by the presence of several chemical factories in the area.
Number 6: Guatemala Sinkhole
The 2010 Guatemala City sinkhole was a disaster in which an area approximately 65 ft. (20 m) across and 300 ft. (90 m) deep collapsed in Guatemala City's Zona 2, swallowing a three-story factory. The sinkhole occurred for a combination of reasons, including Tropical Storm Agatha, the Papaya Volcano eruption, and leakage from sewer pipes. Overall, the risk of sinkholes occurring in Guatemala City is high and unpredictable. One recent, similar sinkhole had collapsed in 2007, forming a pit 100 meters deep. The 2007 Guatemala City sinkhole was formed by fluid from a sewer eroding uncommented volcanic ash, limestone, and other pyroclastic deposits underlying Guatemala City. Several rainstorms also contributed to the sinkhole's collapse, as storm water percolated into the ground, further dissolving the rocks beneath Guatemala City.
Number 5: Harwood Hole
Harwood (or Harwood's) Hole is a cave system located in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. It is one of several important cave systems in Takaka Hill, between Golden Bay and Tasman Bay. Starting at the surface as a 50-metre round entrance and descending 183 meters, Harwood Hole is New Zealand's deepest vertical shaft. Further in it connects with Starlight Cave. The long rope descent is considered one of the most spectacular parts of the caving experience at Harwood's. Harwood's Hole has an overall depth of 357 m.
Henry Harwood (1844–1927), with John Horton and Thomas Manson, opened up the Canaan Downs area and discovered Harwoods Hole, though it was not immediately entered. It remained untouched until cavers winched down in 1958. Upon completion of exploration in 1959, Harwood Hole became the deepest explored cave in New Zealand, a record that stood for many years.
Number 4: Dean’s Blue Hole
Dean's Blue Hole is the world's second deepest known salt water blue hole with an entrance below the sea level. It plunges 202 metres (663 ft) in a bay west of Clarence Town on Long Island, Bahamas.
A blue hole is a water-filled sinkhole with the entrance below the water level. Dean's Blue Hole is roughly circular at the surface, with a diameter ranging from 25 to 35 metres (82–115 ft). After descending 20 metres (66 ft), the hole widens considerably into a cavern with a diameter of 100 metres (330 ft).
Number 3: The Sawmill Sink
This inland blue hole near Marsh Harbour, is a one-of-a-kind treasure trove of history that is helping to explain what The Bahamas was like before the arrival of humans. No other blue hole has produced the quantity or quality of fossils as Sawmill Sink.
Number 2: The Heavenly Pit
The Xiaozhai Tiankeng, also known as the Heavenly Pit, is the world's deepest sinkhole. It is located in Fengjie County of Chongqing Municipality. The Xiaozhai Tiankeng is 626 metres long, 537 metres wide, and between 511 to 662 metres deep, with vertical walls. Its volume is 119,349,000 m³ and the area of its opening is 274,000 m². The Xiaozhai Tiankeng was discovered by specialists in 1994 during a search for a new exploration site for British cavers in the China Caves Project. In fact, it was well known to local people since ancient times.
Number 1: Darvaza Gas Crater – Turkmenistan (The Door to Hell)
The Derweze area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 70 metres (230 ft) at 40°15′10″N 58°26′22″E. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided the best solution was to burn it off. Geologists had hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but the gas is still burning today. Locals have dubbed the Darvaza gas crater the "Door to Hell".
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