Massive Sinkhole That First Appeared in the 2000s Grows to Over 7-Acres-Wide Following Massive Floods

NEED TO KNOW

• A massive sinkhole in Indonesia has expanded to approximately 7.5 acres wide following massive floods that hit the country last year

• The sinkhole opened up in the early 2000s and has grown “faster in two months than it had in the 13 years before”

• It has swallowed up coffee and chili pepper farmlands, roadways and threatens other structures

A massive sinkhole in Indonesia has expanded several acres, swallowing more farmlands and roads surrounding it in recent months.

The expansion of the sinkhole — which initially opened up in Central Aceh Regency in the early 2000s — has accelerated over the past few months since the massive floods that hit Indonesia in 2025, according to France 24, BBC and Reuters.

“When the earthquake occurred in 2013, this landslide [sinkhole] had already happened, and indeed after November 26, 2025 [when mass flooding occurred], its movement became faster, so it moved faster in two months than it had in the 13 years before,” Central Aceh Agent Haili Yoga told Reuters.

As of February, the sinkhole now measures approximately 7.5 acres (or about 5 to 6 football field lengths) wide and is about 100 meters deep, according to France 24.

A roadway and several acres of farmland have been swallowed up by the sinkhole so far. However, its expansion continues to threaten a nearby electric pylon and more farmland, and put pressure on the farmers living in the area, including 40-year-old Sumiati.

“We really hope that the government will provide us with compensation for our losses or find us more land because all of ours has been destroyed and we can no longer plant anything. It is uncertain whether we will be able to plant anything next year,” Sumiati told Reuters.

The Indonesian Geological Agency said that the phenomenon of the expanding sinkhole is linked to the volcanic rocks present in the area, which become particularly unstable when in contact with water, France24 reported. This then encourages “repeated ground movements.”

“So, whether it rains or not, landslides still occur here [at the sinkhole],” 53-year-old farmer Suprapto told Reuters. “The soil here has no rocks, and sometimes when a landslide occurs, it is accompanied by a rumbling sound just like an earthquake.”

“Every time there’s a landslide… I saw yesterday that from here to the edge of the landslide, it was about 15 meters, but now it’s only 10 to 11 meters. To the ministers and council members, please fix this immediately. If you want to fix it, don’t delay, because the Ketol area here produces chilli peppers and can accommodate 800 to 1,000 workers to harvest the chili,” he added.

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Officials in Indonesia have put up a safety barrier near the sinkhole, warning residents to stay away from the edge, BBC reported. Experts warn that the sinkhole may continue to grow larger if water flow isn’t controlled.

Yoga told Reuters that the farmlands affected grow “coffee, chilli peppers, and several other commodities,” and they have collected data on the sinkhole and submitted it to the government for analysis.

“Hopefully, technical guidelines for handling the affected communities will arrive soon,” Yoga added.

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