Two Vehicles Submerged In San Antonio Sinkhole, Emergency Crews On Site

It has been confirmed that at least two vehicles have been submerged in a San Antonio sinkhole. Emergency crews are currently on site, unsure if any people are trapped inside, KSAT reports.

San Antonio fire fighters reported to a call of a deep water sinkhole, possibly 20-feet deep on the 8400 block of Quintana Road at the intersection of Leon Creek. At least two vehicles are submerged in the sinkhole, and one vehicle was on its roof.

One person was rescued so far, but they are unsure if there are any people trapped in the overturned vehicle. Emergency crew believe that a pipe may have busted, which allegedly caused the sinkhole. The area has a flash flood warning until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, and so far, Bexar County has acquired more than six inches of rain.

According to News 4 San Antonio, a man and woman climbed into the sinkhole to save a 60-year-old man. During the rescue, the woman was injured. She was taken to a local hospital to be treated for her injuries.

Crews are still working diligently to free both vehicles from the sinkhole. Police are at the scene investigating. They are unsure if a sewage leak caused the sinkhole, or if the sinkhole caused the sewage leak.

This is certainly not the first time sinkholes were a problem in San Antonio. Just last June, after a major downpour, a large sinkhole was discovered at Loop 410 and Piedras Drive. According to New 4 San Antonio, the first glance at the sinkhole did not appear to be a big deal; however, the sinkhole was a whopping 40-feet deep and at least 20-feet wide, Government Relations Director Michael Shackelford revealed.

“It’s a 40 ft. deep, if not longer hole, if not 20 feet in length. The ground was starting to loosen up, and we looked at it and called the maintenance department and they determined that this could be a huge issue.”

During the same time, San Antonio had approximately 60 traffic lights down, about 30 streets closed, and at least 20 trees down. Although the rain certainly didn’t help in this case, it was later revealed that the sinkhole was a result of a broken drain pipe.

In May, San Antonio had a sinkhole equivalent to an “Olympic-sized swimming pool.” According to My San Antonio, the sinkhole looked like a deadly whirlpool, ripping through the west of San Antonio. The water was rushing directly towards the Edwards Aquifer, which is San Antonio’s main drinking water source.

The report revealed that approximately 500 cubic feet of water was disappearing through the sinkhole every three minutes.

According to USGS, sinkholes are common in areas where carbonate rock, limestone, or salt beds can be naturally dissolved with groundwater. As the rocks dissolve, the result is typically a sinkhole. Sinkholes can be very dramatic due to the fact that the surface can only take so much pressure before breaking apart.

Sinkholes are common in states, such as Florida, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Some sinkholes are small, some are large, and some even occur beneath houses, buildings, and roadways.

Sinkholes occur where no natural water drainage is possible. they tend to develop slowly and without notice, although they can develop suddenly.

Some land practices have also been known to cause sinkholes. For instance, groundwater pumping, construction, and other developmental practices. Also, sinkholes can be formed from changing water-draining patterns, and when land surfaces have changed from runoff-storage ponds or other industrial creations.

While sinkholes can range in size, there are different types of sinkholes, as well. There are dissolution sinkholes, cover-subsidence sinkholes, and cover-collapse sinkholes. Cover-collapse sinkholes are the ones that develop quickly and suddenly. They are also more likely to cause catastrophic damages.

[Featured Image by Shutterstock]