Sinkholes Wreak Havoc - I-24 Sinkhole And Canada Sinkhole

If your evening commute involves I-24 in Tennessee, the I-24 sinkhole is sure to throw a wrench into your plans. A deep sinkhole opened up on I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville, and shut down a 13-mile stretch of traveled road. In Canada, a wide sinkhole that opened last week killed a family who was in their basement. So what is the deal with all of these sinkholes?

Resource for this article: Sinkholes wreak havoc – I-24 Sinkhole and Canada sinkhole By Personal Money Store

Tennessee traffic snarled by I-24 sinkhole

According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the I-24 sinkhole opened Tuesday morning. A tractor-trailer barely missed the hitting the sinkhole after it opened up, and nobody was injured or had to take out new car loans as a result of the sinkhole. Authorities hope repairs will be finished by May 22 as the sinkhole is 40 feet long and 25 feet deep and will take $ 266,960 to fix. The contract was given by a private contractor. Between mile marker 127 and exit 127 is where the sinkhole is located. Traffic has been detoured around the sinkhole on Eastbound lanes, though Westbound lanes have not been closed.

Family of four killed in Canadian sinkhole

On the northern side of the continent, a sinkhole that recently opened up in Canada killed a family of four. Just outside Montreal, a sinkhole appeared under a number of homes, and one family who was in their basement at the time was encased in the sloshing mud. Neighboring houses were evacuated, and the area is being treated as a disaster rehabilitation area by the Canadian government.

What is a sinkhole, anyway?

You will find various causes for sinkholes to open. Typically it has something to do with water seeping in from above bedrock or running below. The water will dissolve the rock and also the area's weight becomes too much. A sudden sinkhole will appear. Sub-surface waterways, sewer piping and abandoned mines are some of one of the most common causes of sinkholes. Sinkholes could be difficult to predict, though Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri and Pennsylvania tend to have probably the most sinkholes among U.S. states.