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Turkey's Earth Cracks: Biblical or Drought-Driven?
13 Dec
Summary
- Hundreds of deep sinkholes have opened across Turkey's Konya Plain.
- Severe drought and excessive groundwater pumping are primary causes.
- Scientists warn similar risks could emerge globally due to declining water levels.
Gigantic sinkholes, some exceeding 100 feet in width and depth, have begun to appear with alarming frequency across Turkey's crucial Konya Plain. While some observers have drawn parallels to biblical prophecies of the earth opening up, scientific explanations point to severe drought conditions and unsustainable groundwater extraction as the primary drivers.
Over 648 such massive collapses have been documented in the Konya region alone, with new sinkholes emerging consistently. Researchers attribute this surge, particularly over the past 25 years, to falling groundwater tables. This crisis is compounded by farmers pumping excessive water to save crops like sugar beet and corn, further depleting underground reserves.
Scientists caution that the risks associated with declining groundwater levels are not isolated to Turkey. Similar scenarios are predicted for parts of the United States, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and the Mediterranean, threatening communities and ecosystems worldwide as water scarcity intensifies.
