Siberian Mystery Hole (Russia)
Scientists were originally baffled by a mysterious hole found on the Yamal penninsula in Siberia. Originally it was assumed that it was a crater, but the size and shape didn't add up. The hole turned out to be a sinkhole formed from melting permafrost that exploded from built-up pressure. The crater is 262 feet wide and has a small lake at the bottom.
2010 Guatemala City Sinkhole (Guatemala)
Guatemala City was hit with two massive sinkholes within a three year period. The second one shocked the world when it opened up in the middle of the city and swallowed a three-story building. The terrifying hole was 65 feet wide and 100 feet deep and killed 15 people! It was caused due to the unfortunate combination of a tropical storm and leaky sewer pipes.
Corvette Museum Sinkhole (Kentucky)
One of the craziest sinkholes ever captured live on camera happened right in the middle of the National Corvette Museum. On February 12, 2014, a large portion of the floor in the "Skydome" collapsed when the ground gave way. Eight one-of-a-kind Corvettes worth around $1 million fell into the 30-foot deep hole and were destroyed. The event happened overnight but was recorded by a security camera.
The Grandfather (Russia)
Most sinkholes appear suddenly, but their destruction is over in a matter of minutes. The Russian city of Berezniki had been suffering from numerous sinkholes due to a large underground mine. The largest one, called "The Grandfather" appeared in 2007 and has constantly grown in size! It's over 1,400 feet long and 780 feet deep so far, and it threatens to destroy the railroad line.
The Heavenly Pit (China)
The largest sinkhole in the world so far is the Heavenly Pit located in the Chongqing District of China. It measures in at 2,053 by 1,762 feet wide at the top and features a double-nested structure. With the inner hole included, it's a total of around 2,172 feet deep! An underground river flows through the bottom of the sinkhole, which is what originally caused the collapses.
Great Blue Hole (Belize)
One of the most incredible scuba diving experiences in the world is actually found in an underwater sinkhole. The Great Blue Hole in Belize is an astonishing 984 feet wide and 407 feet deep! It was originally an underground limestone cave that collapsed and filled in with water.
Harwood's Hole (New Zealand)
Harwood's Hole is a huge sinkhole in New Zealand that's also one of the deepest caves in the country. It starts as a 164-foot wide hole in the surface with a straight-down drop of 600 feet and total depth of 1171 feet. The cave was discovered by Henry Harwood and was fully explored in 1959.
Daisetta Sinkhole (Texas)
The tiny town of Daisetta in Texas was built on a salt dome, and that's resulted in a number of sinkholes forming over the years. The most recent one formed in 2008 and was suspected to be caused by local oil drilling. It was nicknamed the "Sinkhole de Mayo" by the locals and was 600 feet wide and up to 150 feet deep.
Devil’s Sinkhole (Texas)
Devil’s Sinkhole is a medium sized sinkhole that measures 40 by 60 feet wide and 400 feet deep. It was originally discovered in 1889 and has become the home to millions of Mexican free-tailed bats. Because of the wildlife, exploring the deep limestone cave is heavily restricted.
Winter Park Sinkhole (Florida)
"swallowed up sports cars and a community pool with its massive 350 foot wide opening and 107 foot depth"
The town of Winter Park was actually warned of possible sinkholes by a man in 1972, but they ignored it. In 1981, a huge 350-foot wide and 107-foot deep hole opened up in the middle of a neighborhood. While nobody was injured, the hole claimed a number of sports cars, trees, and houses. It became a popular tourist destination for a while, but is now a lake.
Sima Humboldt (Venezuela)
The Sima Humboldt sinkhole is the largest of many on top of a plateau in Venezuela. The hole is 1,155 feet wide and 1,030 feet deep, and it's completely surrounded by a forest. It was first spotted from the air in 1961 and explored in 1974.
Toledo Sinkhole (Ohio)
While it's not very big, the fact that this sinkhole in Toledo, Ohio swallowed a car driving on top of it is pretty crazy! The 60-year-old woman driving the car fell approximately 10 feet below the surface when the brick sewers beneath the road suddenly collapsed. Somehow she did not suffer any serious injuries.