ISTANBUL, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A rapid increase in sinkholes is raising environmental and agricultural alarms in drought-stricken Konya province in central Türkiye, driven by severe groundwater depletion and climate change.
A total of 655 sinkholes have been recorded across the province, most appearing in farmlands and some as close as 30 km from Konya's city center, according to data from Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The Konya Branch of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers reported the sinkholes appear in corn, wheat and sugar beet field, ranging from 6 to 30 meters wide and up to 15 meters deep.
