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Bayou Corne Sinkhole 10.11.12 by Photo by Jeffrey Dubinsky, flight by Southwings
Background: Last Spring Louisiana's Corne and Grand Bayou residents noticed strange bubblings in the bayou for many weeks, and they reported smelling burnt diesel fuel and sulfur. Then suddenly a sinkhole the size of three football fields appeared on Aug. 3, swallowing scores of 100-foot tall cypress trees. The sinkhole resulted from the failure of an abandoned underground brine cavern. The Department of Natural Resources issued a Declaration of Emergency on Aug. 6, and 150 families were evacuated. For maps, diagrams and additional information, see the previous articles in this series:
Mysterious Bayou Sinkhole Continues to Cave In: Radiation, Hydrocarbons Detected at click here
Dangerous Levels of Radium at Corne Bayou Sinkhole at click here
Does Sudden Sinkhole Portend a Nuclear-sized Explosion? at click here
Napoleonville, LA.
The treacherous sinkhole that first appeared on Aug. 4 in Bayou Corne continues to cave in. On Oct 30, a 20-ft by 80-ft section caved in on the east side of the sinkhole, just a week after a "short duration, pronounced seismic event was recorded at the site."
In addition, a 50-ft x 10-ft area had caved into the sinkhole on Oct. 9.
This map dated Oct 14 shows the most recent dimensions of the sinkhole before the 1600-square-ft cave-in on Oct. 30.
Sinkhole Dimension Map Oct. 14, 2012 by Assumption Parish Police Jury, used with permission
Compare to this map, which shows the dimensions of the sinkhole on Sept 21 (gold outer line. The purple inner line shows the dimensions of the original sinkhole on Aug 4.) Dimensions have increased from about 410 ft by 480 ft, to 550 ft by 550 ft, before the most recent cave-in.
Growth of the Bayou Corne Sinkhole (outlines & dimensions bolded for visibility) by Assumption Parish Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness
Compare this image of the sinkhole dated Oct. 11 ...
Sinkhole (Oct 11 Flyover) by Assumption Parish Police Jury, used with permission
...with these earlier images, from approximately the same perspective:
Sinkhole site comparison by Assumption Parish Police Jury YouTube Site
and this, the most current image available, from the flyover on Oct. 29, (taken before the huge cave-in on Oct. 30):
Sinkhole Growth Oct. 29, 2012 by Assumption Parish Police Jury, used with permission
This photo, also from the flyover on Oct. 29, shows the sinkhole in relationship to the nearby community.
Sinkhole Oct. 29, 2012 by Assumption Parish Police Jury, used with permission
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