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2026-02-28 13:32:44

cstross@wandering.shop

Surge in giant sinkholes threatens Turkey’s farmers

Falling groundwater, extreme heat and water-intensive farming are accelerating land collapse, forcing a rethink in agricultural practices

—Turkey is on the brink of a major drought crisis, with almost 90% of the country at risk of becoming desert.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/28/i-live-in-constant-fear-surge-in-giant-sinkholes-threatens-turkeys-farmers

2026-02-28 13:36:04

Ahmet Alphan Sabancı

ahmetasabanci@mastodon.social

There are so many horror stories that led to this situation. And people were talking about this risk for decades.

2026-02-28 13:41:10

Alexander Goeres 𒀯

jabgoe2089@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

@Charlie Stross these things are super scary:

Fifty metres wide and 40 metres deep

and they just "appear"

2026-02-28 15:58:21

Graydon

graydon@canada.masto.host

@cstross Far as I'm aware (not my field, complex difficult field, etc.), the least-surprising outcome for the expected warming (meaning "at least 2 C") is the entire eastern Med coastline gets desiccated. Greece, Turkey, all the way around to possibly Egypt become non-viable states if they're dependent on local agriculture.

(Egypt has the Nile, but the headwaters of the Nile do depend on rain and none of it is guaranteed as the rain bands shift.)

2026-02-28 17:02:22

Jody Hughes

Gaolaitch@cupoftea.social

@cstross ‘surge’ somehow doesn’t seem like the right verb for sinkholes.