Nearly 700 Giant Sinkholes Open Across Turkey Stirring Biblical Prophecy and Global Alarm
Gigantic sinkholes hundreds of feet deep have been opening up throughout Turkey, mirroring a biblical prophecy. The Book of Numbers, Chapter 6, describes the earth opening up and swallowing people as divine punishment for rebellion, a connection that some are drawing after the massive collapses in the Konya Plain, a key wheat-growing region. Many have interpreted the growing phenomenon as a sign that 'God is on the move'.
In This Article:
- 648 Massive Sinkholes in Konya Plain Driven by Drought and Groundwater Pumping
- Researchers Add to the Record: 20+ New Sinkholes in One Year, 1,900 Known Sites by 2021
- From a Few to Hundreds: The Leap Since 2000
- Size Matters: Dozens of Enormous Collapses Each Year
- Groundwater, Drought and Farming Under Pressure
- A Warning for the World Could Emerge Elsewhere
- Caption: A Massive Sinkhole in Turkey and Nearly 700 Similar Openings
- NASA Data: Reservoirs at 15-Year Low (2021)
- US Drought Pressures Echo Global Warning
- Upton County Texas: A 61 m Wide, 12 m Deep Sinkhole Near Abandoned Oil Well
- Harmful Impacts in the US Southwest: Fissures and Sinking Ground
- New Mexico and Arizona: Residential Areas Threatened
- Texas Leads in Public Water Restrictions
648 Massive Sinkholes in Konya Plain Driven by Drought and Groundwater Pumping
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority has reported 648 massive sinkholes in the Konya Plain, primarily the result of severe drought and excessive groundwater pumping.
Researchers Add to the Record: 20+ New Sinkholes in One Year, 1,900 Known Sites by 2021
Researchers at Konya Technical University have discovered more than 20 new sinkholes in the past year alone, adding to the nearly 1,900 sites already mapped by 2021 where the ground was slowly sinking or starting to cave in.
From a Few to Hundreds: The Leap Since 2000
Before 2000, only a handful of sinkholes appeared each decade, but climate change and prolonged drought are blamed for the dramatic increase over the past 25 years.
Size Matters: Dozens of Enormous Collapses Each Year
Today, dozens of enormous collapses occur annually, some more than 30 meters wide.
Groundwater, Drought and Farming Under Pressure
Falling groundwater tables are driving the problem, causing drier wells, stressed ecosystems, dwindling crops, and land subsidence. Farmers pumping more water to save sugar beet and corn crops are further exacerbating the situation.
A Warning for the World Could Emerge Elsewhere
Scientists warn that similar risks could emerge in parts of the US, Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Australia, where declining groundwater levels threaten communities and ecosystems.
Caption: A Massive Sinkhole in Turkey and Nearly 700 Similar Openings
A massive sinkhole in Turkey. Researchers have discovered nearly 700 similar-sized openings in the country's Konya Plain caused by drought and groundwater pumping.
NASA Data: Reservoirs at 15-Year Low (2021)
According to NASA's Earth Observatory, Turkey's water reservoirs reached their lowest levels in 15 years in 2021.
US Drought Pressures Echo Global Warning
The groundwater table in parts of Konya has dramatically dropped over the past few decades, according to Turkish geological studies. The same issues are plaguing the US, with major declines seen in the Great Plains, Central Valley and Southeast. Parts of Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Arizona could be affected by major sinkholes if drought conditions worsen and groundwater pumping is not carefully regulated. The US Drought Monitor noted that pockets of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming have also reached this severe level of drought, with the worst conditions in 2025 along the US–Mexico border in western Texas graded as D4, the most severe drought rating.
Upton County Texas: A 61 m Wide, 12 m Deep Sinkhole Near Abandoned Oil Well
In Upton County, Texas, a massive sinkhole formed around an abandoned 1950s oil well near McCamey, measuring about 200 feet wide and 40 feet deep in March. (Approximately 61 meters wide and 12 meters deep) In southeastern Arizona's Cochise County, land subsidence (ground sinking) from groundwater pumping has led to multiple fissures and sinkholes this year.
Harmful Impacts in the US Southwest: Fissures and Sinking Ground
These sinkholes have varied from 3 to 9 meters across, with local areas reportedly sinking by more than 15 cm per year across hundreds of acres, creating pockets of unstable ground in farming areas.
New Mexico and Arizona: Residential Areas Threatened
In southern New Mexico, a 9.1-meter-deep sinkhole opened in May 2024 near homes in Las Cruces, swallowing two cars and forcing nearby homes to evacuate. Officials cited unstable soil from recent droughts as the key factor, though no statewide pumping cutbacks were enacted in response.
Texas Leads in Public Water Restrictions
In Texas, over 100 public water systems have imposed restrictions on groundwater pumping this year, as new drought rules have limited groundwater pumping for agriculture and in cities across central Texas.
