Giant Texas sinkhole that first appeared in 2008 has increased in size since Sunday

A massive sinkhole in southeastern Texas that first made headlines in 2008 by threatening homes began to crumble again over the weekend, rising overnight to more than 1,000 feet wide and 400 feet deep.

After years of stability, the edge of the sinkhole in Daisetta began to crumble again on Sunday evening after residents reported hearing “like a gunshot” coming from the ground hours before.

Neighbors went to bed Sunday night and when they awoke to find the sinkhole was growing and has since increased about 50 feet in both width and depth.

The hole first terrorized the neighborhood 15 years ago when it started out as a 20-foot hole, but soon became a crater about 900 feet wide and 250 deep. As it grew, it gobbled up cars, oil tanks and power lines, causing lengthy road closures in the small town.

Experts believe the sinkhole was caused by the erosion of a large salt dome – a large underground salt deposit – on which Daisetta is built.

An aerial view of the sinkhole as it has grown since it reopened Sunday night

Footage from Daisetta showed a large metal tank falling into the sinkhole and even a building beginning to teeter over the side. Authorities said the metal tanks were empty and posed no risk, but said they were investigating whether other tanks in the area should be moved.

Neighbors woke up Monday morning and were shocked to see the sinkhole that it had grown so suddenly overnight.

“We just never thought it would start again,” neighbor Linda Hoover told me KTRK. “When we bought our house a few years ago, we thought it had stabilized.”

Other neighbors said they did not sleep easily at night for fear that their houses would collapse under them at night.

“I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night because I didn’t know if we were going to be swallowed up. My family told me that things moved rather quickly before,” says Jordana Priessler.

Tim Priessler recalled the dramatic experience as he watched the sinkhole begin to open again.

“My neighbor came over and said he kept hearing popping noises like a gunshot,” he said. We went to the backyard and buildings fell in there. It was like a movie. You see cracks appearing in the ground.’

Hoover said she and her family packed their bags and positioned their cars so that they could flee at short notice when the sinkhole began to threaten their home.

“My biggest fear is that it will overtake us overnight. So that’s why we haven’t really been able to sleep,’ she said. “We packed our bags and parked our cars funny just to be on the safe side. So that we can get out of here quickly if necessary.’

The ground near the edge of the sinkhole could be seen cracking as it fell into the earth

The Daisetta sinkhole in 2008 after growing from a 20 foot hole to a 900 foot wide crater

Firefighters who served Daisetta said there was nothing they could do about sink holes, and that they were a force of nature who do what they want, according to KTRK.

“Sinkholes are extremely unpredictable,” said Assistant Liberty County Fire Marshal Erskin Holcomb. “It could take a week to move one foot, or it could crumble 20 feet overnight.”

Daisetta officials said no evacuations were necessary at this time.

“City officials immediately contacted the offices of the Liberty County Judge, the Liberty County Fire Marshal and the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and notified residents in the immediate area of ​​the situation,” the city said in a statement. . “City officials are closely monitoring the situation and will work with state and local authorities to keep the community informed as the situation progresses.”

Salt domes are caused when an underground layer of salt converges into a large column below ground and forms a dome shape just below ground level.

As the salt is eroded away, caves open up in the dome that can collapse and create sinkholes.