Mine subsidence a serious concern
The disappearance of Elizabeth Pollard, 64, in Unity Township in Westmoreland County this week has focused a national conversation around a major local problem: sinkholes.
Searchers believe Pollard, who vanished the night of Monday, Dec. 2, while searching for her missing cat, likely fell into a freshly opened sinkhole caused by mine subsidence. Her body was found Friday morning.
Sinkholes are caused when soil that had filled a void in the bedrock shifts, or subsides, leaving a hole on the surface. As the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection notes, sinkholes can form naturally, but human activity, including mining, also can cause sinkholes or can cause a naturally occurring sinkhole to subside more rapidly than it otherwise would.
Pollard’s case is particularly unlucky, as the sinkhole seems to have opened — about 20 feet from where she parked — just before she arrived.
There are things that can keep you safe from sinkholes, though.
The first point is the most important one: If you come upon a sinkhole, keep well clear. The ground nearby could be unstable and might subside.
If the sinkhole is in public, call the police or fire department. If it’s on private property, notify the owner. It’s important to put up a fence or other barrier to keep people away.
Don’t attempt to fill a sinkhole yourself. You could put yourself at risk or contaminate the groundwater.
Instead, contact the state Department of Environmental Protection for assistance.
It can be disconcerting to consider that the very ground beneath our feet isn’t always stable or solid, yet despite the risks of sinkholes, tragedies like Pollard’s are relatively rare. Still, such cases are a grim reminder of the precautions we must take.
— JK
