Texas residents living in million-dollar homes were left with a sense of dread Saturday when the ground suddenly collapsed in the middle of their gated community.
The ground in a courtyard of a Houston development called Memorial Green suddenly appeared to give way.
Photos from the Houston Fire Department show a grassy area and nearby sidewalk subsided about 10 feet during the collapse, which appeared to happen without warning.
The ground shifted around 8:30 a.m., prompting the evacuation of eight homes around the condo community’s landscaped plaza. No one was injured.
The ground in a courtyard of a luxury Houston development known as Memorial Green suddenly appeared to give way Saturday morning
The ground shifted around 8:30 a.m., leading to the evacuation of eight homes around the apartment community’s landscaped plaza
Photos from the Houston Fire Department show a grassy area and nearby sidewalk subsided about 10 feet from the collapse, which appeared sudden.
Firefighters suspected that persistent rainfall may have played a role in the incident.
On Saturday afternoon, construction engineers arrived on site to assess the damage.
“That’s a big hole. That’s a really big hole,” shocked resident Rick Mckee told ABC13.
Houston Fire Department Captain Beau Moreno explained how a water reservoir held floodwaters in the area.
After the massive rainfall in the Houston area, it appeared the water tank had suffered a catastrophic failure, Moreno said.
“It’s not a sinkhole,” Moreno explained. “This is absolutely a man-made structure underground, designed to hold floodwaters in this area.”
The Houston Fire Department reported that a water reservoir suffered a catastrophic failure after a massive amount of rainfall in the area
Built in 2016, Memorial Green features luxury townhomes starting from $1.2 million
Because the ground collapsed on private property, Houston Public Works has said the community is responsible for repairs.
Built in 2016, Memorial Green features luxury townhomes and includes 91 single-family homes, community parks, along with office and retail space spread across 14 acres. Prices for the homes start at $1.2 million.
The nearest buildings to the site of the collapse are described as three-story houses with “beautiful facades, living space on the ground floor, wooden floors throughout” and views of the park.