Sinkholes, Dead Sea
For many years, the dropping sea level was not thought to be a problem. Beach operators got accustomed to it and considered it part of the routine. Lifeguard towers had wheels attached so they could be moved forward every year. New steps were constructed from time to time and access pathways were extended.
When the first reports of sinkholes surfaced in the 1980s, they were regarded as a geological curiosity. By the end of the 1990s, however, the anomaly had turned into a problem. Sinkholes appeared in date groves and in the parking lot which had to be abandoned.
The drop in the level of salty water enables the penetration of fresh groundwater into a salt layer that lies between 5 and 60 meters underground. Fresh water dissolves the salt and creates large empty cavities underground. These cavities rise to the surface like an air bubble in water, until the uppermost layers close to the ground suddenly collapse, creating a pit.
Just like the falling water level, the rate of sinkhole creation is speeding up. In 1996, there were 220 sinkholes; by 2006 there were 1,808; and now, the number skyrocketed to over 6,000. 500 new sinkholes open up every year, an average of more than one per day.
Sinkholes, Dead Sea
For many years, the dropping sea level was not thought to be a problem. Beach operators got accustomed to it and considered it part of the routine. Lifeguard towers had wheels attached so they could be moved forward every year. New steps were constructed from time to time and access pathways were extended.
When the first reports of sinkholes surfaced in the 1980s, they were regarded as a geological curiosity. By the end of the 1990s, however, the anomaly had turned into a problem. Sinkholes appeared in date groves and in the parking lot which had to be abandoned.
The drop in the level of salty water enables the penetration of fresh groundwater into a salt layer that lies between 5 and 60 meters underground. Fresh water dissolves the salt and creates large empty cavities underground. These cavities rise to the surface like an air bubble in water, until the uppermost layers close to the ground suddenly collapse, creating a pit.
Just like the falling water level, the rate of sinkhole creation is speeding up. In 1996, there were 220 sinkholes; by 2006 there were 1,808; and now, the number skyrocketed to over 6,000. 500 new sinkholes open up every year, an average of more than one per day.