January 16, 2013 3:42 pm
Giant Sinkhole Is Swallowing Up a Louisiana Bayou Community
Last spring, residents in Louisiana’s Assumption Parish noticed peculiar bubbles rising to the surface in some bayous. Soon after, small earthquakes shook the towns and raised some eyebrows. In August, i09 writes, the earth suddenly yawned open, swallowing several acres of swampy forest and forming a massive sinkhole full of water, brines, oil and natural gas. Geologists say nature did not cause the hole. Rather, mining activities conducted by the oil and gas service company Texas Brine opened up this apparent pit to hell.
The company, however, denies responsibility. The United States Geological Survey is investigating the incident and has determined that a salt cavern deep below the surface collapsed and caused the earthquake-like tremors, not the other way around. The collapse, they say, was likely brought about by extensive mining.
Since it first appeared, the sinkhole has reached 8 acres in size. Now known as the Bayou Corne Sinkhole, it’s caused the forced evacuation of 300 residents in the nearby town of Assumption, TreeHugger writes. Officials do not know when the evacuees might be allowed to return to their homes.
Despite efforts to contain the muck, nearby waterways already shows signs of contamination, including toxic hydrogen sulfide. Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh fined Texas Brine $100,000 for failing to meet several deadlines for the cleanup effort, i09 writes.
At this point, officials are beginning to fear that the sinkhoke may have to become a “sacrifice zone,” joining the ranks of such uninhabitable, manmade disaster zones as the giant wormhole in Guatemala City and the spewing mudlake of Java.
More from Smithsonian.com:
Don’t Drink the Water
Air Pollution as Seen From the Skies
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Wouldn’t be the first time, even just in Louisiana:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Peigneur
Comment by JimG — January 16, 2013 @ 6:09 pm
Sad to not see this covered on national news. Unfortunately the majority of American society is more concerned with news of their favorite celebrities than the plight of 300 Louisianans.
Comment by Lord Fish — January 17, 2013 @ 12:04 am
No doubt they cover the same thing over and over and major weather hasent been in mainstream media this year while tons of flooding is happening etc. Very suspicious.
Comment by kevin hail — January 17, 2013 @ 12:04 pm
I would just like to personally thank the writer of this article for helping get this story out there! It means quite a lot to us because we have been fighting to get this recognized for more than 5 long months. So…..THANK YOU from the residents in Bayou Corne, LA!!
Comment by Alicia Heilig — January 17, 2013 @ 1:08 pm
this mine doesnt exist to directly fulfill the needs ofpeople living around it, it exists to create abstract value (profit). This is the logic of capitalism. we must destroy it.
Comment by Briar Patch — January 18, 2013 @ 1:48 pm
profit for the company owners I might add. f this s. we have to start fighting
Comment by Briar Patch — January 18, 2013 @ 1:49 pm
The article that is written so important. Those kind of things happen all over the world and yes,we all have to do something for this..
Comment by piyasa kurdu — January 20, 2013 @ 7:46 pm
Here is a prime example of why industry regulation is required in this country. So many legislators babble on about how we are OVER regulating the Job Creators…this is why right here! The jobs Texas Brine created most certainly do not off-set the diaster area they have created; the poisioning of the waterways; the poisioning of the air. All of the hard working families being displaced and bearing the brunt of the fallout so one company can make a few more dollars…dollars the will figth giving to those families to help them recover.
Comment by Debi Hernandez — January 21, 2013 @ 3:43 pm
Thank you for this article. I hope people will look deeper into this issue as it is being reported that toxins are coming out of the sinkhole, it is not informing the people that part of the toxins are nuclear. This is the biggest issue that we as humanity are facing. Nuclear energy/waste will contaminate and destroy us all, if we do not change our course. Look to Fukushima. Peace
Comment by clif soulo — January 22, 2013 @ 11:57 am
Less acreage in Bubbaland. I kind of like it !
Comment by Edmond J. O'Neill — January 22, 2013 @ 5:45 pm
Right now the GOP controlled legislative branches of WI are willing to create the conditions for just such a scenario with a heavily flawed mining bill. Their argument is job creation. What a bunch of obfuscation!
Comment by Rich Zietko — January 24, 2013 @ 8:27 am
Why is this being ignored by the mayor? This will continue to grow and kill all living creatures. Come on folks and step up.
Comment by June Minerd — March 26, 2013 @ 8:38 am
I think something should be done about this. i mean if this sort of thing happened to me and i wasnt able to return to my home for over five mobths i would be angery at the state government for not doing nothing about it for such a long time like that is just messed up and sorry to all those people for what has happeneed over there in florida. Something needs sone and this is a sixteen year old from oregon saying this like wow the way some states work is just horrid. i hope by now they have done what is right and people are liveing back in their peacfull home and going about their ways if not it better happen soon!
Comment by JJ Hughes — May 7, 2013 @ 11:16 am