A community in Assumption Parish, Louisiana, is under threat of being permanently wiped off the face of the earth due to the actions of a salt-mining company working in the area.
In August 2012, an old salt mine that was being used to provide local petrochemical companies with brine, began to collapse, slowly creating a sinkhole that has grown to cover 15 acres. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes, and most have resigned themselves to the fact that they will never return to their homes.
Not only is the giant sinkhole swallowing houses, but it is also emitting oil, natural gas, and other debris, which has left many fearing it may start to contaminate local waterways.