MECENCANI, Croatia (AP) – After the deadly earthquake came the sinkholes.
A central region of Croatia, about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital, Zagreb, is full of round holes of all sizes, which appeared after the December earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4, which killed seven people and caused destruction. widely.
Scientists gathered in Mecencani and other villages in the sparsely populated region for observation and study.
“These are the so-called abandonment sinkholes and arose due to the geological composition specific to this area, because the soil rests on limestone rocks highly saturated with groundwater,” said geologist Josip Terzic of the Croatian Geological Survey.
Although the appearance of sinkholes is not unusual due to strong seismic activity, residents were puzzled by their number – about 100 were observed in the last two months – and the speed with which they appeared after the main earthquake on December 29, which was followed by a series of lines. Geologists said the quake accelerated the sinkhole process, which would normally have taken years, if not decades.
Terzic said the scientists are planning various exploration methods to determine underwater morphology and other characteristics. He spoke to The Associated Press as he sat by a large pit, which he said was as deep as 15 meters and as wide.
Some sinkholes have appeared near people’s homes or on their farmland, prompting authorities to exercise caution. Nenad Tomasevic, a teacher from Mecencani, said that everything seems too much.
“The quake itself was unpleasant enough, to say the least. And after that, these holes started to appear “, said Tomasevic, who had to move to a neighbor’s house after an expanding hole appeared in his backyard.
“Experts say that these sinkholes would have formed naturally over time anyway, but the earthquake acted as a kind of catalyst that accelerated the whole process, unfortunately,” he added.
About three months after the earthquake, the worst-hit area is still battling devastation, with many houses still in ruins and the region’s main town, Petrinja, half-abandoned. Occasional earthquakes, including those of magnitude 4 or more, can still be felt, further upsetting residents and adding to the problems of the coronavirus pandemic.