Authorities in Polk County are monitoring a 75-foot sinkhole that formed off of Scott Lake Road, just south of Fitzgerald Road in southern Lakeland, Friday afternoon.
Here’s What Happened
Officials determined the hole had opened up after a drilling company, which had been working on private property in the area and reached a depth of 180 feet, hit a pressurized pocket in the ground.
This caused part of the area to cave in.
Fire officials notified three homeowners close to the sinkhole of potential evacuations.
Emergency officials consider this an active sinkhole, meaning it is not continuing to growing. Authorities said it was about 75 feet wide and 120 feet deep.
No mandatory evacuations are in place, and no structural damage has been reported, fire rescue confirmed.
Christopher Gutierrez, a resident, and president of a homeowners’ association in Lakeland told local news outlet ABCActionNews: “There are a lot of sinkholes in Lakeland and in this area, so, not surprising. It was kind of shocking how fast it opened and it kept growing and growing.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, sinkholes are more common in areas with “karst terrain.” This is where the rock below the land is made of limestone, carbonate rock, salt beds, or rocks.
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