Although noticing strange geological changes in this swamp, the US Geological Survey was unable to explain the real cause.
Whether stemming from objective or subjective reasons, the locations in this series of “The most dangerous areas on the planet” contain potential dangers that can cause people to die at any time. .
The vast swamp slowly swallowed rows of cypress trees more than 12 meters high into the deep water hole.
In August 2012, hundreds of people living in northern Assumption Parish, Louisiana (USA) witnessed a “terrible nightmare from nature” when before their eyes, the vast Bayou Corne swamp was still daily. The peacefulness suddenly turned into a giant monster, slowly swallowing a row of cypress trees over 12m high into a deep, angry pit. The unpleasant smell of crude oil spread throughout the town.
Two months before this puzzling disaster, the people of Assumption Parish felt unusual when the water of the Bayou Corne swamp appeared large bubbles, the ground sometimes shook. They thought an earthquake was about to happen. However, not a single earthquake was issued by the authorities.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) also noticed strange geological changes here, however, they could not explain exactly what the cause was.
Experts invited by the local government to survey, suspect that the leaking natural gas pipeline is the cause of the puzzling phenomena. However… not a single statement is correct.
As a result, about 2 months later, more than 350 people in Assumption Parish were forced to evacuate permanently from the area living near the Bayou Corne swamp to preserve their lives when in the middle of that vast swamp appeared a giant sinkhole. , can suck and sink trees and bushes into the water in anger.
The Bayou Corne sinkhole in the US.
Most dangerously, the number of trees and materials swallowed is proportional to the width of the crater. Since its appearance, the crater is only 10,000m 2 wide, but so far, scientists estimate, the sinkhole in Bayou Corne swamp is about 100,000m 2 wide and nearly 230m deep.
“Death pit” Bayou Corne is a natural disaster or man-made? The cause can be controversial, but the dangerous reality it is bringing is very real, very certain.
Scientists say that the real “invisible killer” of this sinkhole comes from tens of millions of cubic centimeters of explosive and toxic gases (such as gas, methane…) escaping from the floating aquifer. surface and drift to inhabited areas.
The sinkhole in the Bayou Corne lagoon is widening, viewed from above. (Photo: New York Times).
“This is the biggest industrial disaster in the US that many people don’t know about!”, former American politician Tim Murphy had to say when authorities finally found the real “culprit” causing it. “big never ending nightmare” at Bayou Corne Swamp.
It is Brine Texas Company, LLC – the largest independent producer of brine in the US , providing more than 30% of the brine needs of the chlor-alkali industry.
About 1.6km from the Bayou Corne swamp is a large salt dome that was once fully exploited by Brine Texas, LLC.
For profit, this company exploited the salt to the extreme, to the point of making the salt dome structurally unstable, thereby causing the collapse of the salt mine, damaging natural resources and natural resources. waters of coastal Louisiana. Of course, the Bayou Corne disaster was in this collapse scenario.
Before the collapse of the salt mine, the Texas Brine Company’s defiant use of salt mining had invisibly created a giant “aquifer” below the ground. Little did they know, the Bayou Corne swamp just a few thousand meters away had been affected.
When the solid soil layer is broken, the water in the swamp seems to be drawn down to fill the space of the “aquifer” on the other side of the salt dome. As a result, the disaster called Bayou Corne took place.
Later, the residents of Assumption Parish had to go through a “war for justice” with Brine Texas, LLC for many months. In the end, this company had to compensate tens of millions of dollars for the people here.
Humans have been exploiting the Earth’s natural resources since the dawn of mankind, however, the extraction of today’s petrochemical industry has never been so intense and continuous. As a result, scientists say, the use of modern mining drilling techniques has strongly influenced the stability of geology.
It is not simply the appearance of giant sinkholes, causing the release of toxic gases, but also increasing the risk of earthquakes later. The exhausting exploitation of natural resources is gradually costing us!