Homeowner Discovers Massive Sinkhole In Yard

Mother Nature served us a full course lately, from rain, to floods, to snow.

One Tri-Cities homeowner woke up to a surprise Thursday morning and it wasn’t snow.

It was a strange morning for the Callahan family.  Stephen’s mother woke him and told him there was a hole in the yard.

“I thought it was a little divot in the yard where a little water washed it away a little bit,“ said Callahan.

It was far from being a divot.

“I came out here and I couldn’t believe it,“ said Callahan.

The hole grew 21.5 feet wide and 8 feet deep.

“This is the biggest sink hole I have ever seen.  I never imagined that it would happen in our yard,” said Callahan.

So big, his mom couldn’t believe Mother Nature was even capable of making this hole so big, so fast.

“Mom thought dad got crazy and plowed the yard she came over here to look at it.  Couldn’t believe it,” said Callahan.

Stephen couldn’t help but tell everyone he could.

“Te first thing I did, I called my brother and told him to come out here,“ said Callahan.

The cause is still anyone’s guess.

“Probably an underground stream, cave, or cavern that fell in,“ said Callahan.

Because of that uncertainty, it’s a little unsettling for Stephen.

“It’s pretty close to the house.  I’d like to know if my house is sitting on top of it,“ said Callahan.

One thing’s for sure.

“It’s going to take a lot of dirt to fill it in.  I know that,“ said Callahan.

According the U.S. Geological Survey, sinkholes occur when water dissolves soluble rock such as limestone, carbonate rock, or salt beds.  Sinkholes can occur anywhere, but they most frequently occur in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.