By Jessica Miller, Asst. Layout Editor
On Feb. 28, a sinkhole opened up under Jeffery Bush’s, 36, bedroom in his house. The four other people in Bush’s home escaped, but not Bush himself. The tragedy of that natural disaster left many Florida residents worried as another smaller sinkhole opened up not too far away from the 30 feet-wide and 20 feet-deep sinkhole that killed Bush. Education can help people understand what sinkholes are and how they are created.
What are sinkholes?
They are the deterioration of limestone or chalk from acidic water. Sinkholes take years to dissolve the top layer of limestone or chalk, so why does Florida have so many? It is because Florida has limestone throughout the whole state beneath our feet. When the soluble rock dissolves too much, it can no longer support the topsoil that makes up the surface and it breaks into the hole and forms a sinkhole. These are natural sinkholes that form; however, sinkholes can also form because of the construction of water or sewer lines.
Why do sinkholes happen?
Sinkholes are natural events that help rainwater to percolate into the deeper Earth. In Florida, sinkholes help to refill the aquifer and create groundwater. However, sinkholes occur in numerous areas such as acid rain.
As for the massive sinkhole that cracked open that Thursday night, it evoked a long battle of trying to save Bush’s life. Rescue crews tried for hours to move debris and search for Bush’s body, but could not get too close because of the size and danger the sinkhole presented to rescue crews.
“I heard a loud crash, like a car coming through the house,” Jeremy Bush, Jeffery Bush’s brother, told police.
Jeremy tried to help his brother when he heard Jeffery screaming for help. He went into the bedroom and saw his brother’s bed falling into the hole. Jeremy tried to save his brother, but could not manage to get him out of the hole. After hours of putting into the cavity listening devices, they concurred that Bush was to be presumed dead. The sinkhole was presumed
to be dangerous to the community and it was decided to collapse the
house and try to fill it as soon as possible. A memorial was held for
Bush and many felt like they could start the grieving process.
“I know in my heart he’s dead. But I just want to be here for him
because I love him. He was my brother, man,” said Jeremy Bush to The
Times.
Sadly, another sinkhole started to open up in Seffner. While not nearly as large as the one that killed Bush, it still posed a threat and left the community worried of what will happen next. The sinkhole is 8 feet wide and 10 feet deep. It sits between two homes and authorities say that it is currently not a threat to the homes nearby, but residents were evacuated as a precaution.
Sinkholes can sometimes be abrupt, but there can be signs to
warn if a sinkhole is occurring close to you:
- Check for fresh cracks in the foundation, floor, or wall.
- A door does not set right or does not shut when it once did.
- A tree might start leaning.
- There might be a depression in the ground.
Sinkholes are a serious threat in Florida and can sometimes result in tragedy. However, it is important to remember that sinkholes are a natural occurrence and need to happen in order for rainwater to reach into the ground. One can be prepared as much as possible while still allowing the natural to occur.
