Pennsylvania Woman Missing, Possibly Fallen Into Sinkhole “`
Authorities fear a western Pennsylvania grandmother, missing since searching for her cat, may have fallen into a sinkhole.
Tuesday’s search using a pole camera with an audio device yielded no sound, though a second camera revealed what may be a shoe.
Police responded to a call around 1 a.m. from Elizabeth Pollard’s relatives, who hadn’t seen her since Monday evening. Her 5-year-old granddaughter was found in her parked car near the manhole-sized opening.
Here’s what to know about sinkholes:
What are sinkholes?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a sinkhole is an area lacking natural surface drainage. It forms when the subsurface can no longer support the overlying land.
The land may remain stable for a time until underground cavities grow too large. Insufficient support leads to a sudden collapse of the surface.
How common are sinkholes?
Sinkholes are prevalent in karst terrain, where soluble rocks like limestone are dissolved by groundwater. They can also result from old mines.
The U.S. sees most sinkhole damage in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. Florida’s limestone base makes it particularly vulnerable.
How big are sinkholes?
Sinkholes vary greatly in size, from a few feet to hundreds of acres across, and in depth, from inches to over 100 feet. Shapes range from shallow bowls to vertical-walled pits; some become water-filled ponds.
Other recent sinkholes
In June, a large sinkhole in southern Illinois engulfed a soccer field built over a limestone mine, swallowing a light pole but causing no injuries.
A sinkhole in suburban Tampa, Florida, which fatally swallowed a man in 2013, reopened in 2023 behind fencing, causing no harm.
A 2020 South Dakota sinkhole near a mowed lawn revealed improperly sealed mines beneath a housing subdivision, leading to further sinkhole formation.
A southeastern Texas sinkhole that swallowed equipment and vehicles in 2008 expanded in 2023 with the formation of a connecting sinkhole.