MECENCANI, Croatia (AP) – After the deadly earthquake came the sinkholes.
A central region of Croatia, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of the capital, Zagreb, is crowded with round holes of all sizes, which appeared after the 6.4-magnitude earthquake in December that it killed seven people and caused widespread destruction.
Scientists have approached Mecencani and other villages in the sparsely populated region to observe and study them.
“They are the so-called abandoned sinkholes and appeared due to the specific geological composition of this area, as the soil rests on limestone rocks heavily saturated with groundwater,” said geologist Josip Terzic, of the Geological Survey of Croatia.
Although the appearance of sinkholes is not unusual after the strong seismic activity, residents have been baffled by their number (about 100 have been detected in the last two months) and the speed at which they arose after the main earthquake of December 29, which was followed by a series of aftershocks. Geologists have said the quake accelerated the process of sinking that would normally have taken years, if not decades.
Terzic said scientists are planning various exploration methods to determine underwater morphology and other characteristics. He spoke to The Associated Press as he stood next to a large sinkhole that he said was up to 15 feet deep and equally wide.
Some sinkholes have appeared in people’s homes or on their farmland, prompting the authorities to take precautions. Nenad Tomasevic, a teacher at Mecencani, said everything seemed too much.
“The earthquake itself was quite unpleasant to say the least. And after that, those holes started to show up, ”said Tomasevic, who had to move into a neighbor’s house after an expanding hole appeared in the back garden.
“Experts say these sinkholes would have formed naturally over time, but the earthquake acted as a kind of catalyst that accelerated the whole process, unfortunately,” he added.
About three months after the earthquake, the hardest-hit area continues to struggle with its devastation, with many houses still in ruins and the region’s main city, Petrinja, semi-abandoned. Occasional earthquakes, including those of magnitude 4 or more, can still be felt, further disturbing residents and adding to the pandemic problems of the coronavirus.