Story By: Lee Bullen,Sub Editor: Joseph Golder,Agency: Asia Wire Report
Video Credit: AsiaiWire / Ministry of Natural Resources
This is the moment Chinese geologists find a new cluster of 19 enormous sinkholes – said to be among the world’s largest and measuring a volume of over one million cubic metres – in a forest close to where the movie ‘Avatar’ was shot.
The incredible sinkholes were discovered near the city of Baise in the south-eastern Chinese region of Guangxi, according to the China Geological Survey of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Such sinkholes are typically formed over time by water erosion and some form of surface collapse.
After 50 huge sinkholes were found in China’s central-northern province of Shaanxi five years ago, scientists have come across a series of 19 new chasms in Guangxi.
Senior engineer Zhang Yuanhai told local media: “It is the largest sinkhole cluster south of the Tropic of Cancer which also has the largest number. It is unique in this region.”
The scene looks similar to the setting of the 2009 movie hit ‘Avatar’ which was actually filmed in the ZhangJiaJie National Forest Park in the south-eastern Chinese province of Hunan, bordering with Guangxi.
The sinkholes have a volume of over one million cubic metres and are well-preserved.
In the sinkholes, experts also found lush valleys, colourful caves and stunning waterfalls and vegetation.
Yuanhai said: “As well as the sinkholes, the caves here are also very beautiful. The stalactites are well-preserved and have not been damaged.”
He added that there is a lot of vegetation at the bottom of the sinkholes including tall Dong palm trees (Caryota urens).
Yuanhai told local media: “The country’s sinkholes are mainly located in the south-west. There are also many in the provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan and the municipality of Chongqing and city of Hanzhong as well.”
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