Dragon Hole

Location of the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea

Dragon Hole is the deepest known underwater sinkhole (blue hole) in the world. It is 300.89 metres (987.2 ft) deep. and is located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Discovery Reef in the Paracel Islands at 16°31′30″N 111°46′04″E / 16.5249°N 111.7679°E / 16.5249; 111.7679Coordinates: 16°31′30″N 111°46′04″E / 16.5249°N 111.7679°E / 16.5249; 111.7679.[1] Blue holes are characteristically hundreds of metres deep and generate a distinctive blue colour when seen from above.

The local fishermen call it the "eye" of the South China Sea, and believe it is where the Monkey King, depicted in the novel "Journey to the West", found his golden cudgel.[1][2]

Dragon Hole is almost 100 metres (330 ft) deeper than Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas. There are several fresh water sinkholes on land that are deeper than Dragon Hole. These include Mexico's Zacatón (335 metres (1,099 ft)), Pozzo del Merro in Italy (392 metres (1,286 ft)),[3][4] and Hranice abyss in the Czech republic (404 metres (1,325 ft)).

References

  1. 1 2 "Researchers just discovered the world's deepest underwater sinkhole in the South China Sea". The Washington Post. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "China Exclusive: South China Sea "blue hole" declared world's deepest". New China. Xinhua News Agency. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  3. ↑ Mazza, Ed (29 July 2016). "'Dragon Hole', World's Deepest Blue Hole, Discovered In South China Sea". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "Deep Blue Hole Found in South China Sea". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.