Discover a new huge sinkhole “Tiankou” in southern China … Primitive forest at the bottom of the hole | Business Insider Japan

View from the bottom of a huge sinkhole found in China.

Song Wen/Xinhua via Getty

  • A huge sinkhole was found in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China,Xinhua News AgencyReported.
  • A primeval forest was hidden in a 192-meter-deep sinkhole.
  • Since this area is a karst terrain made of rock that is easily dissolved in water, sinkholes are often seen.

A research team in a huge sinkhole found in Leye County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, discovered a primeval forest hidden deep inside.Xinhua News AgencyReported on May 7, 2022.

The sinkhole is 306 meters east-west and 150 meters north-south, with a maximum depth of about 192 meters, said Zhang Yuanhai, a senior engineer at the Yanrong Geological Institute of the China Geological Survey.

The institute’s research team rappelled down a hole about 100 meters deep and walked for a few more hours to reach the bottom of the sinkhole. There, they found a primeval forest overgrown with old trees about 40 meters high, research captain Chen Lixin told the Xinhua News Agency. It is said that plants up to shoulder height were also densely growing.

A primeval forest found in the depths of a sinkhole.

A primeval forest found in the depths of a sinkhole.

Song Wen/Xinhua via Getty

A video posted on Twitter on May 7 shows investigators walking through bushes and manipulating drones to record sinkholes.

Some researchers believe that such sinkholes may be inhabited by undiscovered flora and fauna.AccuWeather“These sinkholes have been academically so far,” said George Veni, executive director of the National Cave and Karst Institute in New Mexico, USA, on May 19. I wouldn’t be surprised if a species that had never been reported or described was discovered. “

Rakugyo in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region-A sinkhole seen in Fengshan Geological Park.

Rakugyo in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region-A sinkhole seen in Fengshan Geological Park.

Zhou Hua/Xinhua via Getty

The sinkhole is a karst terrain commonly found in southern China, which means “heavenly hole” in Chinese.Live ScienceTalking to.

“Regional differences such as geology and climate can make a big difference in how karst terrain looks on the ground,” says Beni.

“In China’s karst terrain, you can see incredibly spectacular views such as huge sinkholes and wide open cave entrances, while in other parts of the world, even if you step into karst terrain. You may not notice anything in particular. The size of the sinkhole is small, 1 or 2 meters in diameter. The entrance to the cave is often small, in which case you have to shrink your body. Don’t become “

The karst terrain in Leye County was created in 2007 due to the unique terrain of unique rock formations and large cave systems.UNESCO World Heritage SiteIt is registered in.

Also in ChinaThe largest sinkhole in the worldThere is also.“Xiaozhai Tiankeng”It is a sinkhole with a depth of more than 600 meters and can be seen in Fengjie County, Chongqing City.

[original:Chinese cave explorers discovered a 630-foot-deep sinkhole containing a massive ancient forest

(Translation: Fumiko Nakata, Editing: Toshihiko Inoue)

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