A Florida sinkhole has swallowed a family yard and their driveway just hours after the large ground hole was completely filled in. Authorities now fear that if sinkholes in the area continue to be a big problem, local residents will be requested to evacuate their homes, WebProNews reported Sunday.
A Florida sinkhole - 25 feet across and 50 feet deep - has reopened Saturday, just hours after it was completely filled in Friday night. The sinkhole is situated between two homes in the Florida residential community.
Authorities say the heavy rainfall may have put much stress on the soil, causing the ground to collapse just a few hours after operations to fill in the hole was realized. The large pit initially opened a few weeks back along with a handful more of sinkholes on the same property.
Reports say no one was injured when the Florida sinkhole reopened since both families residing the homes were not there at the time of the incident. However, the large sinkhole swallowed parts of their yard and even their driveway.
According to WebProNews, crews worked round the clock from Saturday to Sunday morning just to fill in the dangerous sinkhole, which based on their calculations, could spread open even larger next time around. The large Florida sinkhole could allegedly threaten the entire block and neighborhood.
Local news say, that the reopened hole was filled with 115 truckloads of grout by crews, who told local media that they will be laying dirt, grass and landscaping on the area starting Monday.
Additionally, one of the homes was secured with steel pinnings directly to the limestone, so that next time another hole opens, it will not crumble.
"The house isn't going to go anywhere, as long as the hole doesn't move much past where it is right now," geologist Drew Glasbrenner said. "You can never know for sure but the repair should slow it down and eventually stop it from expanding"
Meanwhile, because of the rainy season, county officials fear that Florida sinkholes might continue to be a problem, and more and more residents might be asked to evacuate their homes as a standard safety precaution.
Florid is considered as one of the states with the most sinkholes - second only to Minnesota. Three Tampa Bay counties namely: Hernando, Pasco and Hillborough, are considered as "sinkhole alley" since most sinkhole damages happen there.
Florida's peninsula is made of porous carbonate limestone rocks, or rocks that help move water underground. Experts explain that over time, these rocks tend to dissolve from an acid formed out of oxygen molecules and water. When certain gaps are created underneath the limestone roof, too much pressure on its surface can lead to its collapse, exposing the limestone hole from the ground.
Just last February, a Florida sinkhole swallowed a man identified as Jeffrey Bush. Bush was reportedly sucked into a sinkhole that cracked open below his bedroom. His body was never found since.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
