The parks department closed off the hole with caution tape and a plastic mesh fence and had made plans to fill the hole in.
But two weeks later the ground around the hole in a one hundred foot radius began to sink.
Several witnesses were on hand as the ground collapsed opening up a very large crater that toppled trees.
“It was a frightening thing to watch.” Silvia Shelby told us. “we could see the ground begining to move downward slowly at first, then it just gave way and the ground opened up. Trees fell over and went down into the hole, rocks and boulders tumbled down. It was a terrifying spectical to watch.”
Several witnesses were on hand as the ground collapsed opening up a very large crater that toppled trees.
“It was a frightening thing to watch.” Silvia Shelby told us. “we could see the ground begining to move downward slowly at first, then it just gave way and the ground opened up. Trees fell over and went down into the hole, rocks and boulders tumbled down. It was a terrifying spectical to watch.”
Four months later, the hole has grown to enormous proportions.
At nearly a half mile wide and with no indication of how deep it is, the hole continues to grow each day.
It has expanded to the nearby rivers and created huge water falls on its ridge which are emptying the water at a dramatic rate.
The draw of water into the hole has caused a huge surge in sea water to travel up the river and at high tide the sound of water crashing over the newly formed falls is deafening.
Residents who live a mere few yards of the hole have been evacuated, and all they can do is stand by and watch helplessly as their homes tumble into the hole within the next few days.
At nearly a half mile wide and with no indication of how deep it is, the hole continues to grow each day.
It has expanded to the nearby rivers and created huge water falls on its ridge which are emptying the water at a dramatic rate.
The draw of water into the hole has caused a huge surge in sea water to travel up the river and at high tide the sound of water crashing over the newly formed falls is deafening.
Residents who live a mere few yards of the hole have been evacuated, and all they can do is stand by and watch helplessly as their homes tumble into the hole within the next few days.
Three months after the hikers came across the hole, it grew to over five hundred yards across.
Read more:
http://aceflashman.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/tremendous-sink-hole-treatening-to-swallow-community-in-virginia/
