A Louisiana sinkhole discovered last year expanded Wednesday night and a land survey crew on the scene captured the scene on video, revealing a swath of cypress trees being sucked below the surface in a mater of seconds.
The sinkhole was discovered Aug. 3, 2012 in a swamp about 80 miles west of New Orleans and has grown to a size approaching 25 acres; hundreds of displaced residents of the small community in Assumption Parish have no idea when the evacuation orders they are under will be removed, The Times-Picayune reported.
The sinkhole's growth is expected as the hole seeks a final shape and size, a geologic process that may take years, according to The Advocate of Baton Rouge.
Officials from Assumption Parish call the event a "slough-in" or an edge collapse. The slough-in occurred after one of the sinkhole's "burps" -- a periodic increase in underground tremors related to stirrings of gas and debris. Officials expected the slough-in to occur; last Friday they observed approximately two dozen trees being sucked into the ground.
Earlier this month the state of Louisiana sued Texas Brine LLC for environmental damages and the resulting sinkhole, which it contends is the result of a collapsed salt dome cavern operated by the company, The Associated Press reported.
"We have already pushed for buyouts for affected residents and are undertaking a thorough review of all of Texas Brine's permits in our state. This suit is just the next step in making sure Texas Brine does the right thing and properly addresses the mess it's caused," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal reportedly said in a statement.
The state of Louisiana has spend at least $12 million responding to the sinkhole situation, the AP reported.
The video below was taken by Assumption Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness.