FLORIDA, United States (Reuters) — The number of homes to be condemned as a result of a massive sinkhole in a residential neighborhood of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, has risen to seven, officials told reporters on Monday (August 7).
The sinkhole originally opened up on July 14 and grew dangerously hundreds of feet within a matter of hours, Florida officials initially said, before it stopped increasing in size the following day.
Two homes were initially swallowed up by the sinkhole but Pasco County Government officials said five additional homes met the ‘criteria for demolition’ over the weekend.
NBC local affiliate footage showed contractors and insurance agencies working at the scene of the sinkhole on Monday. Officials say the process of removing debris and water is ongoing at a calculated pace to ensure the land surrounding the sinkhole does not become unstable.
Florida is prone to sinkholes because of its porous limestone foundation and the cavities that are the result are a common feature of the state’s landscape – such as springs, lakes and portions of rivers.
