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In the small, uncluttered and unspectacular Seffner in southwest Florida, a hole has been in the ground since the beginning of this week. It is not just a hole, but a so-called sinkhole, known in this country as Doline.

The hole, about 4 meters wide, was noticed by a passerby on Monday afternoon (local time) and reported to the authorities, the American channel “fox13” reports. Firefighters and police were out to assess the situation, said John-Paul Lavandeira, Chief of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Engineers would now begin to assess the situation and fill the sinkhole with gravel and water by the end of the week. “That’s how we did it the first time. So the sinkhole opens again in the same place, in a controlled environment,” says Lavandeira. The area around the hole is double fenced and densely surrounded by trees.

Ingested while sleeping

And rightly so: in 2013 the gap opened for the first time. There was a house directly above it. Jeffrey Bush, one of the residents, was literally wiped off the face of the earth in his sleep. His brother tried to save him, but in vain.

Attempts to save the man afterwards also failed. So Bush’s body is still underground in Seffner. Back then, just like this time, the catch was filled with gravel and water. While this won’t prevent the hole from opening up again, it will, if it does, happen in the same place. This way further damage can be prevented.

In addition, the administration installed the aforementioned double fence to ensure that no one would be injured if the hole opened.

As early as 2015, the sinkhole had broken open again in the same place. Even then, the authorities filled it in the same way.

How does a sinkhole form?

Geologically, Florida is mostly limestone. This is naturally soluble and therefore particularly sensitive to natural weathering processes.

That is why it happens that the limestone is broken up by the rainwater that seeps through the earth, creating underground caves. The earth that lies above lags behind; a cavity forms just below the surface.

Finally the cave collapses: the cave collapses, what lies above it collapses. That’s what happened to Jeffrey Busch. Such collapsing sinkholes can be found all over Florida, but are especially common around Tampa Bay. (cpf)