ABC: “Evacuation order… for fear of potential radiation” in Louisiana parish — Company Official: Sinkhole ‘could still grow’
By CHRISTINA NG | ABC News – 11 hrs ago
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| http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/doHeBO_YOdkJKUI2UMABMA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzU1O2NyPTE7Y3c9NjMwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0zNTU7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/08/14/sinkhole-jpg_140120.jpg |
A nearly 400-foot deep sinkhole in Louisiana has swallowed all of the
trees in its area and enacted a mandatory evacuation order for about 150
residences for fear of potential radiation and explosions.
The 400-square-foot gaping hole is in Assumption Parish, La., about 50 miles south of Baton Rouge.
The sinkhole sits
in the middle of a heavily wooded space where it has consumed all of the
soaring cypress trees that had been there. Flyover photos show some of
the treetops still visible through the mud.
Authorities enacted a mandatory evacuation for between 100 and150 homes
in the area, but most people have chosen to stay, according to the
Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness. If any of the dangers seem to
become more imminent, the order will be escalated to a forced
evacuation.
While officials are not certain what caused the massive sinkhole, they
believe it may be have ben caused by a nearby salt cavern owned by the
Texas Brine Company.
After being used for nearly 30 years, the cavern was plugged in 2011 and
officials believe the integrity of the cavern may have somehow been
compromised, leading to the sinkhole.
[Slideshow: Massive sinkholes wreak havoc around the world]
On Thursday, Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources required that
Texas Brine drill a well to investigate the salt cavern as soon as
possible, obtain samples from the cavern and provide daily reports on
their findings.
It could take up to 10 days to set up the drilling process, even with an
expedited process.
"We have to arrange for the driller. We have to pick a location. We have
to be very careful to not be in a point that's too close to the
sinkhole because of the weight of the rig," Texas Brine Company
spokesman Sonny Cranch told ABCNews.com today. "We don't want to
aggravate the situation."
The sinkhole is on the outside edge of the salt dome where this particular brine well is located.
"There are some indications that it very well may have been connected,
but there's just indications," Cranch said. "There's nothing concrete
that has connected the sinkhole to the cavern."
There was bubbling in the water and the sinkhole is near areas where
there has been exploration for oil and gas in the past, which would make
the presence of low levels of naturally occurring radioactive material
(NORM) possible.
The state's Department of Environmental Quality said water samples from
the sinkhole showed oil and diesel on its surface, but initial readings
did not detect radiation.
In the days after the sinkhole opened up on Aug. 3, nearby Highway 70
was closed down because officials discovered that the sinkhole caused a
36-inch natural gas pipeline to bend and feared the possibility of an
explosion, according to ABC News' Baton Rouge affiliate WBRZ.
"That's why the mandatory evacuation is going to stay on, because there
is a risk for explosion," John Boudreaux of from Assumption Parish
Emergency Preparedness said at a meeting with residents on Tuesday, WBRZ
reported.
"We are determined to do everything we can to find the answer," president of Texas Brine Mark Cartwright told the residents.
Some community members were visibly frustrated with the situation and lack of answers.
"You can give us a straight answer because that's all we want," one
woman said at the meeting. "We want to know when we can come home and be
safe. Because you all go home after a days work. You're safe, but we're
not."
Gov. Bobby Jindal issued a declaration of emergency allowing the
Governor's Office of Homeland Security to assist in the efforts if
necessary.
"This is extremely serious and it's been going on for too long to still
be at this point," Kim Torres, spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency
Preparedness, told ABCNews.com today. "The people are very aware of how
serious this is."
It could take at least 40 days for sinkhole answers, company says http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20120811/WIRE/120819933
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