In a rare example of geology imitating politics, a sinkhole has appeared on the lawn of the White House, where it it growing by the day.
Sinkholes, as you’re probably aware, are gaping earth-voids that open up whenever ground below the surface erodes away and/or the demons that live in the bowels of the Earth fancy a skylight. They appear without warning, and by and large the best way to deal with them is to keep the hell away – which is a problem if they appear next the seat of government.
And the perfect thing about it is that it works equally well no matter your view of the presidency.
This week I’ve been observing a sinkhole on the @WhiteHouse North Lawn, just outside the press briefing room, growing larger by the day. pic.twitter.com/BsFUtxFqpB
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) May 22, 2018
If you’re pro-Trump then this is proof that he’s following through on his promise to drain the swamp: sinkholes are often caused when the water table drops and the ground above it crumbles under it’s own unsupported weight.
And if you’re anti-Trump, then this is proof that the very Earth itself is rebelling against his presence and attempting to make amends. Or it’s representing an administration that’s crumbling beneath the president’s feet, if you like. The possibilities are endless!
Of course, the reality is that sinkholes are common if terrifying. They’re pretty much everywhere that there’s earth and water, and the District of Columbia (which contains Washington) has a “karst” geology, where the land is made of porous carbonate rock (limestone or dolomite) which is particularly susceptible to water erosion.
And that’s why there are enough caves in the area for the DC Grotto spelunking and cave-exploring group to have existed long enough for their up-to-date website to clearly have been made in the mid-90s heyday of Geocities.
That, or it’s the Hellmouth opening. Maybe both!
