Dramatic Pictures of Recent Sinkholes Reveal Hazards Lurking Below
Natural and human-caused sinkholes have swallowed cars and houses in Florida, Minnesota, England, China, Latin America, and beyond.
Last Saturday, a massive sinkhole swallowed part of a residential neighborhood in Spring Hill, Florida, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Tampa. No one was injured, but a pair of houses suffered damage, and four families had to evacuate.
The circular sinkhole is about 40 yards (37 meters) across and 30 feet (9 meters) deep, says Virginia Singer, a spokesperson for the local Hernando County government.
"No one thing in particular triggered the sinkhole that we are aware of," she says. "It's an occurrence that happens in this part of Florida."
Nearly 300 sinkholes have opened up in the Sunshine State since 2010 and thousands over the past century.
Denise Moloney, a spokesperson with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, says her department advises
