Dead Sea ‘white smokers’ provide early sinkhole warning, say scientists

Underwater chimney structures spewing jets of brine can help alert to dangerous regional issue, research shows

Venting chimneys have been discovered on the floor of the Dead Sea. These previously unknown “white smokers” spew out salty water and provide early warning of sinkhole formation on nearby land.

The Dead Sea is sinking fast. Over the past 50 years, intense evaporation has resulted in it dropping by about 1 metre a year, with its surface now approximately 438 metres beneath sea level. This drop has opened up new fissures in the rock strata and researchers wanted to understand how this might be contributing to an alarming fall in freshwater aquifer levels seen in Israel, Jordan and the West Bank.

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