Florida has a large sinkhole problem

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   Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

   An enormous sinkhole has opened up in the town of Leesburg, Fla.,, and it's hungry. It's already gobbled up a garbage bin, an oak tree, the back wall of the building housing a salon and racks of supplies.
   ...The heavy rains lead to plenty of pits opening in central Florida.
   Since the 1950s, 3,100 sinkholes have been recorded in Florida. The naturally occurring holes open up when acidic groundwater dissolves underground rock formations. At the point, the formations are no longer able to support the ground above them, causing terra firma to collapse inward....
   
   http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/flor … 24324.html
   well before you buy a home,you've got to find out about the ground below it too?
   
   

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      BenjaminBposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My opinion it would not bother me one bit if both Florida and California just vanished. To me they are both giant sink holes.

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         AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Ben, I love Cali! I wouldn't want to vanish into a sinkhole.

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            BenjaminBposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Well AEvans if that's your real picture you are too dam cute to have disappear down a sink hole so i think i'd line you up a life preserver

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   I have been to Florida a couple of times, nobody mentioned the sink holes to me, and this is the first I can remember hearing of it.
   
   I loved the people I met and had a great time as well, so I am sorry to hear they have yet another thing to worry about.

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      Jsparcoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm surprised! Florida is swamped with sinkholes. My house has recently started to develop cracks! I had no idea what they were from, and my friend said he was 100% sure it was a soft / small sinkhole underneath the foundation of my house. I filed a claim with my insurance company and they denied it! I'm now working with http://www.nationlaw.com/insurance-clai … attorneys/ and hopefully they can help get this claim in my favor!
      I wish everyone the best!

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      TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yup, they are all around in FL, E.

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   klarawieckposted 12 years ago

   Considering Miami is at water level, and it's mostly swamp land that has been filled to create a city above it, it's not in bad shape at all. No sinkholes here. (Knock on wood)

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   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   Sinkholes are a natural part of Florida's ecosystem. Some areas are affected more than others. Some of the lakes in central Florida were naturally formed as a result of land sinking. But over time sinkholes are also caused by man made environmental issues such as land development, heavy deep water pumping, retention ponds, etc.
   
   In areas that have been reported as having sinkhole activity, (which may even include tiny cracks in the foundation as a result of land settling or a neighbors property reporting activity to their insurance company), a homeowner pays for sinkhole coverage. The insurance is not cheap, and there has been plenty of fraud concerning sinkhole claims. There is an opt out with only minimal coverage. Some of us also have to pay flood insurance.
   
   http://www.cnnfoundationtech.com/sinkho … ution.html
   This link shows a map of areas which have reported any sinkhole activity since 1954

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   Well Rebekah you covered that thoroughly!

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   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   I have read a lot about it because I am a homeowner and felt that I needed to educate myself. The entire ecosystem of Florida is extremely fascinating and the longer I live here, the more I learn. I love living here.

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   AEvansposted 12 years ago

   I had seen the massive hole on the Internet, it is certainly a frightening situation and I am glad there has not been any casualties. I couldn't live there, I would be stressed out all of the time.

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      rebekahELLEposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It's not quite like that AE, it's probably like we feel about earthquakes in CA.
      
      The media makes it appear widespread.

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         AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That is so true! They probably photo shopped the pic too!

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            atulhostposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Hmmmm, yes, I also wonder after reading it as how I don't know about this?

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            rebekahELLEposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            definitely.
            
            Here's a more accurate account of the sinkhole.
            http://www.wftv.com/news/28616488/detail.html

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   klarawieckposted 12 years ago

   Miami has other issues, that are not sinkholes. We have a lot of a**holes!
   (I hope I don't get banned for that one! )

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      Stacie Lposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I lived near Miami,in the delray beach boca raton area and there are plenty of a**holes there too!
      not sure if they have had any sinkholes..my brothers have lived there over 30 years and never heard of any..

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   klarawieckposted 12 years ago

   We should have an a**hole festival here in South Florida! Just tell me where the next sinkhole is most likely to occur so I can send out the invitations with the exact location.

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      Stacie Lposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      yeah a street festival with free food will bring them out...

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