10.01.2026 10:31
A new sinkhole has been added to the 700 sinkholes observed in the Karapınar region, particularly in the Konya Plain. The sinkhole, which formed approximately 30 kilometers from the city center, has a diameter of 30 meters and a depth of 15 meters.
In previous years, sinkholes that formed only in the Karapınar district have also appeared in recent years in the districts of Ereğli, Halkapınar, Emirgazi, Çumra, Cihanbeyli, Kulu, Yunak, Çeltik, and Altınekin in the same region, and their number has reached 700 day by day. Most recently, a sinkhole formed in the Çaltı neighborhood, located 30 kilometers from the city center of Konya. The diameter of the sinkhole was determined to be 30 meters, and its depth was 15 meters. Municipal officials placed warning signs around the sinkhole and surrounded it with a wire fence.
"IT WILL CONTINUE TO COLLAPSE" Associate Professor Dr. Arif Delikan, a faculty member of the Geological Engineering Department at Konya Technical University, stated that as long as climate change continues, the formation of sinkholes will persist. Dr. Delikan said, "Sinkholes are completely related to climate change as the primary factor. The situation here is due to the decrease in precipitation, the complete disappearance of surface waters in the region, and the rapid withdrawal of groundwater downwards. There were already voids that had formed earlier in the Karapınar region. However, with the withdrawal of these waters, the voids that were previously filled with water are now emptying. When they empty, the support beneath the cover we refer to above the voids is removed. If these voids approach the surface, there is a possibility of collapse at any moment, and they collapse. As long as the climate continues in this way, many places are collapsing and will continue to collapse," he said.
"WE SEE MORE SINKHOLE FORMATIONS AT THE BASIN EDGES" In addition to climate change, Associate Professor Dr. Delikan pointed out that seismic movements at the edges of the basin also cause the collapse of voids formed underground, stating, "The closed basin in the Konya region is actually a fault-controlled basin. Earthquakes are already occurring at the edges of this basin. Seismic activity is also a factor for sinkhole formation. Due to vibrations, it can cause sinkholes that are already ready to collapse or the enlargement of the void. For this reason, we see and expect more sinkhole formations at the edges of the basin rather than at the center, due to the thickness of the cover unit in the Konya Basin. This is a sinkhole formation we expect. We actually see that the sinkhole is in a stream. There is a flow beneath the stream. Here, surface water can transfer loose sediment to the voids below. Thus, large voids can form within the young sediment. When the cover part collapses, sinkholes like this occur," he said.