"GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (Feb. 24) - A 330-foot-deep sinkhole killed two teenage siblings when it swallowed about a dozen homes early Friday and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people in a crowded Guatemala City neighborhood.

The bodies of the brother and sister were found near the enormous fissure, floating in a river of sewage. Their father was still missing, according to disaster coordinator Hugo Hernandez.

"We have closed the valves on the storm and sewer drains and we are going to wait until the area stabilizes before going down there to evaluate, but in the meantime, the mouth of the hole will certainly become larger," said Alvaro Rodas, the director of social development for Guatemala City.

The pit emitted foul odors, loud noises and tremors, shaking the surrounding ground. A rush of water could be heard from its depths.

Authorities have warned that the sounds coming from the sinkhole augured further possible collapses, and possibly the destruction of more homes. The dwellings around the crater have been evacuated, and police cordoned off a 500-yard security perimeter around the hole.

Edward Ramirez said he and other residents had been hearing noises and feeling tremors for about a month before the ground opened up before dawn, waking many in the poor neighborhood.

"People were shouting 'The electric posts are falling down!"' said the 26-year-old Ramirez, who lives 50 yards from the hole. "We are going to a friend's house now. There's no way we'll stay here." "

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So anyone have any more information on how sinkholes actually happen? In the picture it seriously looks like somebody cut away at the rock and let it fall. I dunno for a semi natural occurance it really looks sorta man made, could just be my imagination though. Any thoughts Put em up!

Wow. I believe sink holes are caused by underground water currents that erode the land above and it eventually collapses. I don't know though for sure, just a guess.

Wow indeed, you are correct about the formation of sinkholes.. though they sometimes occur from water main breaks or sewer collapses when old pipes give way. They can also happen from the overpumping and removal of groundwater...

I did actually read about that,tragic really.

thats creepy..

Why the hell would someone live near a sinkhole in the first place?

I don't think they knew it was there... That entire hole was formed by the accident, these things can be unpredictable.

That's a big sinkhole. I feel bad for the three people who died. And I feel bad for the family or families of the three people.

That's huge

I read somewhere they are happening in Southern Florida too. The groundwater is in limestone caves and as soon as the water level drops from drought or overuse by wells the caves give in.
We get them somewhat in the Pine Barrens where the area has been overdeveloped but because the Raritan Aquifier ( the underground river which feeds the Pines) actually is flowing through sand they are not as drastic and the ground level just drops several inches to several feet.