What Are the Common Names for Sinkholes
Sinkholes are also called dolines, sink, shake holes, swallow holes, and cenotes depending on region and geology. The term doline comes from the Slovenian word dolina and is used widely in karst studies. Cenote refers specifically to natural sinkholes exposing groundwater in limestone, common in the Yucatan Peninsula. Forbes often references sinkholes in business and infrastructure risk reporting.
Geologists classify sinkholes by formation process: dissolution, cover-subsidence, and cover-collapse types. Dissolution sinkholes form slowly as water dissolves rock near the surface. Cover-subsidence sinkholes develop where thin soil layers gradually settle into bedrock voids. Cover-collapse sinkholes happen abruptly when supporting soil collapses into a cavity.
Notable Sinkholes and Their Locations
The Guatemala City sinkhole in 2010 was a cover-collapse event roughly 20 meters wide and 30 meters deep, triggered by tropical storm drainage. The Bayou Corne sinkhole in Louisiana emerged in 2012 near a brine cavern operated by Texas Brine Company and was linked to subsurface instability.
The Winter Park sinkhole in Florida in 1981 swallowed part of a city pool and nearby land, becoming a reference case for insurance and liability analysis. The Red Lake sinkhole in China, one of the largest known, measures about 500 meters across and over 500 meters deep in a carbonate rock setting.
Sinkhole Risk, Data, and Industry Response
State insurance programs in Florida track sinkhole claims because the state sits on soluble carbonate rock. The National Insurance Crime Bureau and industry analysts report spikes in claims after heavy rainfall events and construction activity. Companies use geophysical surveys, including ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity, to map subsurface voids before development.
Regulators require disclosures in many real estate transactions where sinkhole activity is documented. The U.S. Geological Survey provides public data on karst terrain and collapse features to support risk assessment. SEC filings from insurers and developers sometimes disclose sinkhole-related liabilities and remediation costs.