http://www.examiner.com/article/sinkhole-unprecedented-globally-heed-evacuation-order-geologist-saysSinkhole unprecedented globally, heed evacuation order, geologist saysThe Bayou Corne sinkhole is truly a historical event, unprecedented globally, according to a geologist who addressed a group of residents, evacuees and others Tuesday night in Pierre Part at a briefing high with emotions at times, such as when the mandatory evacuation issue was addressed.
"In the history of this type of event, this is very unique,” said Dr. Gary Hecox, geologist with Shaw Environmental stated at the resident meeting Tuesday night. Upset citizens fired one after another question after the officials gave presentation updating the locals with their latest updates about the disaster.
“Nobody ever dealt with something like this,” said Hecox, technical advisor with Shaw Environmental Group that has been contracted by Louisiana Department of Natural Resources to help attempt to manage the monster sinkhole, area leaking gases and crude, and earthquakes plaguing nearby communities for over four months.
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Video: La. sinkhole resident briefing Oct 23, Part 8.
Officials held the meeting at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church Hall in Pierre Part that was filled with citizens eager to hear the latest news from officials and experts about the sinkhole disaster.
"Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night wondering if they are going to give us money to relocate or what they are going to do," said Donald Gros, a resident of Bayou Corne.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner has ordered Texas Brine to present a plan and timetable to the state by November 13. Some of that plan was broached Tuesday night by the company spokesperson, particularly safety issues.
Extra experts are being hired to try to find and implement a solution, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources director Stephen Chustz told evacuees and other residents at the meeting.
Probably there would not be more sinkholes forming. Instead, if anything, the existing sinkhole would just get bigger, according to Hecox. Even another official on Tuesday night, however, questioned that, and tried to obtain more information.
“There is no cookbook," he stated matter-of-factly. "There’s not even any decent case studies people how to proceed when you’ve had a cavern collapse 5,00 feet below ground, you’ve had to frack out to the surface in the form of a sinkhole, and you have natural gas and crude oil coming in and bubbling up all over.
“We’ve talked to people all over the world. This is a unique situation. I know people are frustrated."
Emotions were high by the time locals were finally able to ask questions about the detailed technical material presented to them during the first part of the meeting, when questions were not permitted.
“Right now, we’ve got to work our way through the problem and we’ve got to do it safe so nobody gets hurt,” Hecox said.
Many people have not heeded the evacuation order. Many more are excluded from the mandatory evacuation zone that was based purely on the township boundaries, not areas where the human impact is being experienced, including chemicals in the air and seismic activity.
Two days ago, a jolt was felt by some people not in the mandatory evacuation zone.
"It felt like i was walking on jello," said Deby Tomlin, who lives just over the zone line.
Asked about the mandatory evacuation Tuesday night, Hecox's response was as sobering as the petition being signed by people throughout the nation urging Gov. Bobby Jindal to expand the mandatory evacuation order that he declared as a matter of human rights to health and safety.
“I’m a technical advisor for the state and the parish," he said. "Here’s my criteria of whether it’s safe for you to go back to your homes, and that is: 'Would but I could put my kids and my grandkids back in their homes if they lived there?'
"That’s the criteria I’m using mentally to think though. I have nine and half grandkids and would I tell their parents it’s safe to go back to Bayou Corne?”
“Are you saying it’s not now?” a woman in the crowd asked him. “You would not have your grandkids there now?”
He answered, “Right now, the evacuation order is appropriate.”