Why Sinkholes Are Eating Florida

[Beguile's Mistress]

Florida is known as the Sunshine State, but living there has a dark side, as the family of Jeff Bush discovered when the 36-year-old man was killed after a sinkhole opened beneath his house last week.

Read on...

[Lilias]

Who would have thought placing giant cities on ground that for 20,000 years had been swamp would have led to stability problems? Shocking.

But then again, we are the country that thought overpopulating the desert was a good idea too.

Yahoo comments are usually the kind that eats away your brain, but the occasional ray of sense does appear.

[gaggedLouise]

Around here - well, in this country, but something like a thousand U.S. miles further north - they are going to move the entire town of Kiruna as the nearby warren of iron mining shafts have stretched so close that it's threatening to undermine the town itself. Taking down most of the houses, brick by brick, and rebuild them in the new location as far as it's possible.

[Oniya]

Then there's always Centralia, Pennsylvania.  Ever wonder what happens when an underground coal seam catches fire?  Silent Hill, baby.  Silent Hill.

[kojote]

I don't know what it is, but every time I read a news article about Florida it makes me want to visit there even less. (As if the heat and alligators weren't enough to keep me away.)

[RubySlippers]

Because the Republicans got in and Hell is coming to take over the State.   >:)

Seriously I think we are just using to much ground water on a largely sandy softer soil therefore some areas may have spots of natural depression especially where there is construction on the ground adding more weight.

[kojote]

Speaking of Florida republicans, did anyone see that ridiculous gubernatorial debate between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist? I loved that most of the comments on the video I saw of it were, "Please don't judge the rest of Florida by this."

[RubySlippers]

I live in Florida so its not funny, we can't manage to even get a 50% turnout for elections. But the sink hole issue is an issue we can't keep draining our aquifers like we have been they need time to replenish.

[kojote]

Oh yeah, I can imagine (or perhaps can't.) I don't love our current governor, but he does do stuff, at least.

[TaintedAndDelish]

Trying to get people to pay for delivered water when they can pump it for free might be a bit of a challenge.

I found a map here:
http://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/uploads/file/FloodInsights-Florida-Sinkhole-Coverage-Map.pdf

[Lrrr]

Sinkholes are eating Florida for the same reason flood waters destroy homes built in 20-year flood plains about once every ... oh, say 20 years on average.

[Lrrr]

Ran across this and thought it was on-topic.