There is no telling how wide a sinkhole discovered in Louisiana's Assumption Parrish will grow, but it is not showing signs of stopping, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported.
The sinkhole was discovered Aug. 3, 2012 and now, more than a year later, it has grown to 24 acres. In a video captured Wednesday night, trees can be seen swallowed whole in seconds.
The community's 350 residents do not know when their evacuation will end because the sinkhole only continues to get wider.
The state of Louisiana sued Texas Brine LLC earlier this month for environmental damage and possibly causing the sinkhole. Officials said the collapse of a salt dome cavern operated by the company is likely the reason for the sinkhole.
"I was just standing there and I pointed out, 'Hey, it looks like they're moving. It looks like they're moving," John Boudreaux, director of the parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, told the Advocate.
The most recent collapse, also known as a "slough in" occurred around 5:30 p.m. when Boudreaux and other officials visited the site due to work being halted.
Various underground tremors and stirring of gas and debris, known as burps, caused workers to stop Wednesday and prompted a visit from city officials. That is when Boudreaux pulled out his camera.
He said the sinkhole had not had any activity for a while before the burps and the ensuing slough in.
According to the Associated Press, Texas Brine has been sending weekly checks to residents to help them cover relocation expenses. Boudreaux's department, however, said the sinkhole is not a threat to local homes.
Still, led by environmentalist Erin Brockovich, a team of lawyers and 57 individual plaintiffs and three local businesses are following through on a class action lawsuit against Texas Brine for ignoring the problem for too long.
