What's causing huge sinkholes in Anatolia?

DW (English)

Sinkholes have suddenly opened up near residential areas in central Turkey, a result of groundwater runoff. And they're becoming deadly hazards for people and wildlife.

Transcript

00:00They appear suddenly, and they just keep coming, circular sinkholes some 20 meters deep and

00:0840 meters wide, a deadly trap for humans and animals.

00:14Here in the central Anatolian region of Konya, they're appearing ever closer to villages

00:19and farms, including Anfati's six-farm.

00:26In summer, the earth of one of his beet fields suddenly opened up, 100 meters from his home.

00:37That day, I truly believed the apocalypse had arrived.

00:42While the muezzin was calling to prayer, there was a thumping noise from below.

00:48We didn't understand where it was coming from.

00:52Then I saw the ground open up, and a fountain of water shot up into the air.

01:00Experts from the University of Konya have come to examine and measure the hole.

01:05They can hardly keep up with their work.

01:07There are now over 2,500 holes in this area alone.

01:14For geologist Fethullah Arik, sinkholes like this are nothing new for the region.

01:24We've been observing a massive drop in the groundwater level here ever since the early

01:282000s.

01:29It's caused by drought, climate change and excessive irrigation of fields.

01:35Back then the level would sink by half a meter, a meter at most.

01:42Now it's several meters.

01:49Fault lines often act as conduits for groundwater.

01:53When they dry up over the years or sink into deeper layers of the earth, it can trigger

01:57sinkholes.

01:59Arik has been researching progressive soil erosion for many years.

02:08Only the areas marked in white are safe from major subsidence.

02:13In the colored regions, it could occur at any time.

02:16That's half the country.

02:20For farmer Fatih Sik, the danger is far from over.

02:24He's discovered the next subsidence on his cattle run.

02:29With a lack of space, he's had to sell some of his animals.

02:36What should I do?

02:37Should I start all over again somewhere else?

02:39I can't afford it.

02:42Where should I go anyway?

02:44Where is it still safe?

02:48People affected like Fatih Sik haven't been offered any state assistance.

02:54So far, all the authorities have done is put up warning notices and fence off the holes.

03:00Critics accuse them of failing to provide effective water management.

03:04If Sik and other farmers want to irrigate their fields, they've no alternative to groundwater.

03:11They're literally digging themselves into a hole.

03:14The farmer is desperate.

03:17No matter how hard I try to explain what we're going through here, I can't find the words.

03:21It's really very difficult.

03:31Sik has to stay.

03:32He doesn't have the money to up and move.

03:35Geologist Fethullah Arik, too, can't predict when and where the next sinkhole will open

03:39up, though there are a few warning signs.

03:44If you notice unusual accumulations of water, trees or electricity pylons suddenly leaning,

03:53cracks appearing on the walls of houses, or windows no longer closing properly, those

03:59can all be signs that the earth's about to collapse.

04:07So far, nobody has fallen into a sinkhole, and no houses have been swallowed up.

04:13But the scientist says that could change.

04:19The holes are appearing more and more along roads and railway lines.

04:24That means not only that people's lives are in danger, but that important infrastructure

04:28is also at risk.

04:35Central Anatolia was once the breadbasket of Turkey.

04:39But whether agriculture has a safe future home here is more uncertain than ever.

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