Last week, the small town of Xocén made headlines after a ceiba tree over 30 meters high fell into a sinkhole under its enormous weight.

However, since it was located in Yucatán, it quickly became clear that it was not just a sinkhole, but a previously undiscovered cenote.

Speleologists are just beginning to explore the secrets of the Xocén cenote and publish photos.

“The collapse of the ceiba in this cenote in Xocén appears to have been a completely natural phenomenon, but it is important to understand this type of event as the region continues to grow and develop,” speleologist Erick Sosa told Diario de Yucatán.

Locals interpreted the collapse of the ceiba and the emergence of the cenote as an omen.

“Xocén is a place full of mysticism. It is difficult to say at this point what this event could mean… but many people interpret it as a sign of great changes to come,” Mayor Alfredo Fernández said in a press release.

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The Ceiba tree or ya’axche in the Mayan language, is considered sacred by the Mayan people because it symbolizes the universe.

Cenotes have long been considered sacred in Yucatán, as they are both literal and metaphorical portals to the Mayan underworld, Xibalbá.

In addition to being popular tourist attractions, many cenotes remain the main source of water for several rural communities in Yucatán.

In recent years, however, pollution from pig farms and other forms of agricultural runoff has begun to affect the water quality of these ancient natural formations.

“The collapse of the ceiba into the cenote seems strangely symbolic of what is happening in our communities. We need to better protect our resources if we want to have any future at all,” Juan Pech, a local from Xocén, said on Facebook.