Here’s yet another headache for those whose homes were damaged or destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. When floodwaters receded, they may have taken sediment with them, leaving giant pockets of air underground that could potentially become sinkholes. In the case of flooded houses, that means foundations that were once solid could be rendered unstable.
“From Seagate to Manhattan Beach, a lot of these building’s foundations have been scoured,” said Walter Maffei, an architect. “And no one knows about it.”
The phenomenon could be especially costly in the event of another storm, according to Lou Neos, who specializes in underground radar that detects potential sinkholes. “It’s all over, wherever there was severe damage from Sandy,” he said. “If there’s another storm, people might lose their whole house because of a void.”
(Photo: ceonyc/Flickr)
