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Holey Florida! 9 facts about sinkholes

By Irene Sans, WFTV.com
By Irene Sans, WFTV.com
Florida is holey. Florida’s bedrock is limestone-rich; limestone is everywhere, and it’s 3 miles thick underneath the bedrock. Flowing through the Swiss cheese-like layer is water coming from the east, west, south, up and below. The water below dissolves the calcium carbonate in the bedrock, creating bigger holes, which often cave with anything on top of the surface. Sinkholes can form anywhere in Florida, but not all sinkholes are the same. Here are 9 facts about sinkholes:
  1. Sinkholes are typically caused naturally because of the bedrock and the rapid dissolution of carbonate rocks.
  2. Sinkholes can form gradually or suddenly, even without warning.
    1. Your windows and doors suddenly not closing properly.
    2. Cavities developing in your yard/gardens.
    3. Weird noises your home may be making as the ground moves or settles.
  3. Sinkhole insurance is offered in Florida.
  4. Springs and other bodies of water can contribute to the forming of sinkholes.
  5. Sinkholes are nearly impossible to predict.
  6. Sinkholes can form when the rain and floodwaters brought by hurricanes start to recede.
  7. Failure of pipes can cause depressions. Depressions are not necessarily sinkholes but can lead the ground to collapse.
  8. A sinkhole can be repaired if caught early. Like a tooth cavity, grout can be injected into the hole, rebuilding a foundation over the degrading limestone.
 
BONUS: Did you know that Lake Eola formed because of a sinkhole?
The sinkhole is approximately 23 feet and 8 inches deep and is located about 100 feet east of the fountain.

ORLANDO, Fla. — PHOTOS: SINKHOLES IN OCALA

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