Outlet of sinkhole traced 16km away in Kashmir
Tracer studies by a team of National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar has revealed that a sinkhole, which developed in Anantnag’s Brengi stream at Kokernag on February 11, has its discharge 16 kilometres downstream at Achabal.
Brengi stream is a tributary of Jhelum river. “90% of the water going into the sinkhole has an outlet in Achabal, which is 16 km from the sinkhole,” Kokernag subdivisional magistrate Sarib Sehran said after a meeting of the National Disaster Management Authority on Wednesday.
Sinkholes are pits in the ground that form in areas where water gathers without external drainage, according to the US Geological Survey. The sinkhole at Wandeval village in Anantnag dried out Jhelum’s Brengi tributary downstream, killing thousands of indigenous fishes. District authorities tried to divert the water from the sinkhole, but the seepage developed again.
“Based on the preliminary study, it was inferred that the phenomenon occurred due to underlying karst topography... “The district administration has filled the sinkhole with naturally graded
material and crates,” Sehran said.
“Preliminary studies were conducted and the decision to fill the sinkhole was taken after due deliberation with all stakeholders,” a government spokesperson said, seeking anonymity.
Ghulam Jeelani, professor and head of department of earth and environmental sciences at University of Kashmir, had earlier told HT that a sinkhole is an expression of an underground network of caves. “South Kashmir requires mapping of this underground cavern system. Today, it happened in the stream; tomorrow it can happen in the built up area.