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Can a sinkhole happen to you?

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    Professor Anthony Randazzo explains

  • Duration 5:08
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-- -- Can't let the cops are gonna -- out to help grow.

Up in what -- to -- -- -- that bedroom cooler to collapse and my brother bought them or he underneath the house.

Let chilling 911 call came after a man was swallowed by a sinkhole as he slept in his Florida home.

Officials are turning to the scene this morning warning the hole is only growing larger and deeper.

But what causes this to happen in the first place and could it happen to you.

Joining us by phone as a sinkhole expert a professor emeritus of geological sciences Anthony were -- so.

Good morning if that's a good morning.

So -- mean a lot of people waking up this morning who live in some of these sinkhole prone areas wondering.

Conscience is my how stable -- my backyard yesterday there's a who's a gaping hole out by my fence area wondering it's -- it's getting larger so what the world is missing coal.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- But it it's caused by very orange zone that's near the surface that has been dissolving -- millions of years.

It would breach -- -- -- you develop cavities.

And caverns in the launch don't.

That it large enough that they no longer able to support the root for the cavity.

And they cavity collapses and anything above that same clay and -- -- that might be there.

They follow him and you have the circus depression -- -- -- cycle.

And professor explain how this 26 year old young man Jeff who is at the moment trapped in the same poll and presumed dead.

Why can't once you fall into a simple it's not just.

A crevice or why can't you climb out once you are in the -- Well.

And it's possible to climb out depending upon where you are -- -- -- collapsed.

But in this case here obviously the the entire section of the house -- -- -- wish him.

Fell down on the books selling very deeply I believe they have more than fifty feet in the vertical direction.

And then was quickly covered by the material.

Slow sprawling into the hole.

From the surrounding Portugal hole the hole but actually got larger as -- -- cold it was in the process of the -- Now -- we often see stories of sink holes in swallowing up -- on highways or otherwise damaging our our infrastructure.

Is there any way to know where seeing -- are likely to occur.

But I yes in fact after I retire actually -- -- -- Florida I started a consulting business being able to tell people just back.

What the potential is -- -- -- development and there are several.

Technical companies that can do that as well there are scientific procedures that we could apply.

I don't -- -- -- caddies before they collapse.

Tell us and just for -- our viewers right now -- nervous today.

How -- do you see something before a saint call erupts in your yard.

You can't physically see something.

The most of the times although you can get some warning -- For instance in correction in nation read directions structure like that choking -- -- four.

Opening difficulty opening windows are -- endorsed.

These are the signs of shuttle -- they may be related to singles but they could be also related to other things.

That's why you need to test the city.

Exactly what's causing and so.

There are some professor there are some states that are prone to see calls for the ease up on the screen this morning so if you live in some of these states this is an area that should look out for Florida Texas Alabama Missouri Kentucky Tennessee and Pennsylvania.

So two part question -- and why are these states more prone to sink holes and number two.

Will this become part of a home inspection process going forward in any of these states or beyond.

-- answer the first question and the reason why all of the stage you mentioned are prone.

It is exactly because you have old limestone.

That has been dissolving away for.

Millions and millions of years and actual relatively close to the surface.

All over all of -- -- -- that geological conditions.

And with regard to.

Come again I'm sorry that -- -- you know suggest you know homeowners inspections I mean if you're gonna blow by -- -- trying to sell your house is this now gonna become part of the process.

Well we hope -- we'd be in Florida we've been pushing.

That resale inspection and do you have a termite inspection you have structural inspection pretty awful.

But nobody thinks about circles particularly and certain parts of sport where.

Singles -- very likely uniform.

And then there unfortunately.

-- ever gotten a warrior out sufficiently to alert homeowners -- which perspective homeowners to do it.

Welcome Basra and Iraq does so you're getting the word out this morning thanks so much for your expertise and perhaps -- a tragic story -- shine some light on the you know how common is actually our thanks professor.

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