Seeing a fall into a sinkhole is absolutely terrifying. they’re scary in and of themselves, but the ground underfoot (or tires) crumbling and falling into an open hole is the stuff of nightmares. This event in California is even more frightening, given its unstable geological situation.
How common are huge sinkholes?
According to the , huge sinkholes are quite rare. However, when they do happen, they can wreak havoc.
. At least more often than anyone would prefer. As reported by the , this sinkhole measured 200 square feet when it opened at noon Wednesday. Thankfully, no one was in the car when the sinkhole opened, meaning no one was hurt.
The teacher’s 2022 Toyota RAV4 was eaten
The beautiful new has been swallowed up by this abyss. The teacher who owned the RAV4 has only had the small SUV since November 2022. “I couldn’t believe it,” she told the paper. “It’s so bizarre and surreal because it’s not really something you think happens in this area.”
If the Toyota had simply sunk a few feet, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. However, the sinkhole appears to have opened under only half of the SUV, causing it to fall down the hole and onto the roof. That little detail turns it from replacing a few bits and bobs into a potentially totaled RAV4. Also capsized, the RAV4 was recovered later that day. Although, according to .
What causes sinkholes?
As our friends at the Geological Survey previously mentioned, massive amounts of rain or other large amounts of water can cause sinkholes to open. Indeed, area officials believe that heavy rains in the area may have caused an underground pipe to burst, eroding the ground to the point where the road collapsed.
After firefighters investigated for any other damage, the case was turned over to the police. Despite getting the “all clear” from local authorities, fears of more sinkholes prompted the public works department to run cameras through the pipes to look for further damage.
Sinkholes are disasters that are not easily predictable. One second, the ground is, well, the ground; the next second, it’s a huge hole. The scariest part is how huge these things can be. Can you get sinkhole insurance?
