Sinkhole swallows more trees

BAYOU CORNE — About 25 trees fell into the Assumption Parish sinkhole and a new crack formed Monday night in a earthen well pad south of the lake-like slurry hole, state regulators said.

Experts working for the state Office of Conservation believe the collapse and cracked well pad are linked to now-calmed seismic events from late last week, officials said in a statement Tuesday.

Because of that connection, agency officials said the discovery did not halt work around the sinkhole and the area remains in emergency officials’ lowest “alert” status.

Parish officials also estimated Tuesday that the edge collapse, or slough-in, probably bit off a quarter-acre from the formerly 13-acre sinkhole’s southeastern edge. More firm measurements are pending.

More at http://theadvocate.com/home/5543772-125/sinkhole-swallows-more-trees .

[font color=green]More than 350 people have been evacuated thus far.[/font]