The appearance of a gigantic hole in the Atacama Desert worries Chilean authorities. The crater is about 25 meters in diameter and emerged in a mining area in the Tierra Amarilla region, about 665 kilometers north of Santiago. A team from the National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) is investigating the sinkhole to determine the cause of the phenomenon.

Populated area

The hole, which is approximately 64 meters deep, is in land where there is a copper mine operated by a Canadian company. “We ask that it be possible to clarify the cause of this event, what the reasons are, if the collapse is a product of mining activity below or if it is of another nature,” said Cristobal Zúñiga, mayor of the Tierra Amarilla region. He further warned that the crater is still active and continues to grow.

The community is on alert, mainly because the giant hole is close to a populated area and a Family Health Center. the excessive contamination of these mining companies”, said Zúñiga.

According to the Secretariat of the Mining Ministerial Region of the Atacama Region (Seremi), no person was affected by the appearance of the hole. To ensure safety, Sernageomin determined the closure of the mine accesses. Authorities said they are continuing to assess the situation and will issue further recommendations as the case progresses.

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