A growing sinkhole in Assumption Parish, Louisiana has led local officials to issue a mandatory evacuation order for about 150 residences due to fears of potential radiation and explosions. Parish officials have ordered the company responsible for a nearby salt cavern to drill a relief well to determine if a breach in the cavern has caused the sinkhole.

1. Huge Sinkhole Forces
Mandatory Evacuation of nearly
150 Homes in Louisiana
https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaProudToCallItHome

2. Summary: A growing sinkhole in Assumption Parish, Louisiana has led
local officials to issue a mandatory evacuation order for about 150
residences due to fears of potential radiation and explosions. Parish
officials have ordered the company responsible for a nearby salt cavern
to drill a relief well to determine if a breach in the cavern has caused
the sinkhole.
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3. (August 13, 2012) - Approximately 150 homes in Assumption Parish,
Louisiana are facing a mandatory evacuation order as the result of a
massive sinkhole. The sinkhole appeared August 3 and original
measurements showed that it was 324 feet in diameter with a depth of
422 feet in one corner, according to John Boudreaux, director of the
Office of Homeland Security in Assumption Parish. However, members of
a Louisiana National Guard crew that flew over the giant sinkhole late
last week reported that it has since grown another 10 to 20 feet.
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4. Officials have discovered that the sinkhole has caused a 36-inch natural
gas pipeline to bend, raising the possibility of an explosion. As a result,
Highway 70 near the sinkhole was temporarily closed, the owners of
three natural gas pipelines at the edge of the sinkhole were asked to flare
off and depressurize their pipelines as a precaution, and authorities
enacted a mandatory evacuation for between 100 and 150 homes in the
area. If any of the dangers should become more imminent, the order will
be escalated to a forced evacuation.
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5. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has issued a declaration of emergency
allowing the Governor's Office of Homeland Security to assist in the
efforts if necessary, and local leaders remain committed to determining
the cause of the sinkhole and keeping affected residents informed about
the situation as it develops. The latest official news about the sinkhole,
along with contact numbers and related links, can be found at
http://www.assumptionla.com/bayoucorne.
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6. In addition to the local government site, a number of other websites are
helping spread awareness of the serious situation in Assumption Parish
both nationally and abroad. Among these is
https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaProudToCallItHome,
a Facebook fanpage that offers an online community where people can
share their thoughts and comments about the latest Louisiana news and
events, including the sinkhole.
https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaProudToCallItHome

7. "We feel it is very important to get the news out about the emerging
crisis in southern Louisiana," notes page administrator S.S. Ober-Lehn.
"And Facebook's international appeal makes the Louisiana Proud to Call
It Home fanpage a natural place for anyone anywhere in the world who is
concerned about the sinkhole to come together to discuss this problem
and help spread awareness about it."
https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaProudToCallItHome

8. To find out more about current news and events
in Louisiana, please visit
https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaProudToCallItHome
https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaProudToCallItHome