The first thing so many thought of when they heard about this was “Uh Oh, False Flag” event.
Not so fast…
Brian Cates has done some digging (here comes a pun, watch for it) and learned that Florida is full of sinkholes.
…
You guys realize most of Miami is literally built on a swamp, right? From my digging into this, these buildings had bad foundations and were constantly needing to be reinforced or shored up. And it looks like somebody didn’t spot a foundation issue.
Florida’s Sinkholes
Mapping Florida’s Sinkholes: Understanding the Sinkhole Threat
Sinkholes can form anywhere in Florida, but the highest activity level occurs in west central Florida because of the karst limestone environment. There are several influences that increase the risk of sinkhole activity such as long-term weather conditions, heavy acidic rains, and drought-like conditions.
The regional map… depicts sinkhole locations that have been reported since 1954 by the Florida Geological Survey Series No. 110. It does not show all sinkhole activity in Florida, but you can get a generalization of how widespread this problem is.
Sinkhole Zones in Florida
- Zone 1 (Yellow): This region consists of exposed or thinly-covered carbonate rocks. Broad and shallow sinkholes are common in this area. Cities in the zone 1 region include Miami, Coral Springs, Hialeah, and Hollywood.
- Zone 2 (Green): This region has permeable sand that varies in thickness from 20 to 200 feet. It mainly consists of small cover subsidence. Zone 2 cities include Fort Lauderdale, Port St. Lucie, and Orlando.
- Zone 3 (Blue): Zone 3 has cohesive, low-permeable soil that forms abrupt collapse sinkholes. Cities in zone 3 include Tampa, Tallahassee, and St. Petersburg.
- Zone 4 (Pink): This region consists of deeply inter-bedded carbonate rocks and cohesive clayey sands. Sinkholes are uncommon in this region, but collapse and small subsidence sinkholes can occur in shallow beds. Cities located in zone 4 include Jacksonville and St. Augustine.
Sinkhole formation has accelerated over the years. They are commonly created by extended droughts, heavy rainfall, land development, water pumping, and construction of retention ponds. Sinkholes in Florida can range in size small to large. Some are large enough to swallow homes, roads, swimming pools, and buildings.
Not only does sinkhole activity destroy structures, but they also pose an environmental concern. The carbonate rocks, which are present in sinkhole formation, provide direct access to all types of pollutants such as fertilizers and pesticides. Oil and gasoline also channel directly into the sinkhole. Despite all the problems sinkholes produce, they are a natural part of the ecosystem.
A sinkhole forming underneath the foundation can’t be discounted because Miami sits on the coast of the biggest sinkhole area in a state prone to them.
Biggus Dickus writes: “South Florida, (south of Tampa) is one big sandbar on top of a million year old coral reef that is constantly moving. I’m a builder from the north and when I came here was amazed at what they build on. Buildings are always cracking and settling.”
Cates: If that had been an explosion from a bomb or a missile there would have been a shockwave.