Sinkholes and Soil Subsidence

Sinkholes can be a major problem where the ground underneath contains weak rock such as limestone and salt beds. These types of rock are easily dissolved by groundwater. Sinkholes are dangerous because the groundwater will erode the rock and create spaces which will not show above ground until the spaces are too big, and the ground will suddenly collapse.

 Source: Indonesia.Net

 

 

 

In Indonesia, there are sinkholes and large amounts of soil subsidence. Jakarta has an alarming rate of it's coastal soil subsidence at about 20 cm per year. A lot of the causes of sinkholes in Indonesia are man-made from the extreme extraction of groundwater. The ground does not have time to replenish itself in time for the rock to not sink. Larger areas such as Sumatra and Java do have emergency steps, but only to stay away from sinkholes in the case that one is created. The main problems are that the land is being heavily used for farming that the land is not meant for.

 

 

Sources:

 

http://www.gim-international.com/issues/articles/id499-Land_Subsidence_in_Urban_Areas_of__Indonesia.html

 

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/sinkholes.html