Sinkholes That Signal the “Eternal Death” of Hamadan Province’s Plains

More than 24 sinkholes have emerged in the plains of Hamadan Province. These sinkholes are indicative of the eternal death of the plains where they have formed. Adjacent to these sinkholes is the “Mofteh Power Plant” which depletes underground water resources.

More than 24 sinkholes of varying sizes have emerged in Hamadan Province. According to the “Mizan” news agency, most of these sinkholes have formed in the “Noabad Kabudarahang” region.

The “IRNA” news agency reported that the destruction of plains and land subsidence resulting from excessive extraction of underground water in Hamadan Province is a small sign of the boundless plundering of natural resources and management failures in the province’s plains.

According to this report, excessive extraction of underground water in agriculture, drilling of unauthorized wells, and the operation of the thermal power plant “Mofteh” in the Kabudarahang plain are among the most important factors in the formation of these deep sinkholes.

The report also states that the formation of these sinkholes means the eternal death of the plains in which they have emerged.

On this matter, Manouchehr Amiri, “a member of the scientific staff of the Center for Agricultural and Natural Resources Research of Hamadan Province,” stated that sinkholes in the Kabudarahang plain have formed as a result of hot and gaseous solutions entering underground water and rock dissolution.

The report mentioned the construction of the “Mofteh Power Plant” in the Kabudarahang region as a reason for exacerbating the problems of this area: “Power plants must be built near dams and rivers due to their high water requirements, while the Mofteh power plant operates in the Kabudarahang region, which lacks a dam and river.”

According to geologist Manouchehr Amiri, the “Mofteh power plant” has a significant impact on the occurrence of such phenomena.

Previously, Ehsan Ghanbari, governor of Kabudarahang County, had stated: “The water resources of the plains in Kabudarahang County are facing an average annual decline of one meter due to drought and excessive extraction.”

According to the governor of Kabudarahang County, there are more than a thousand unauthorized wells in the county.

A sinkhole in the “Noabad” region with a depth of 60 meters is the deepest sinkhole in the area.

Source: DW