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Soil erosion
washing or blowing away of the top layer of soil / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Soil erosion is the washing or blowing away (by water or wind) of the top layer of soil (dirt). This is a serious problem for farmers. If the soil has eroded, the crops that make food will not grow very well.
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Soil erosion was a big problem in the Midwestern United States in the 1930s dust bowl.
Erosion also leaves large sinkholes in the ground, which can weaken buildings and even cause them to collapse. Urban areas are usually protected from soil erosion, so not many buildings collapse from erosion.