14 DAY TRIAL // A large sinkhole in Louisiana is prompting the evacuation of all the roughly 350 inhabitants of a small town.
According to the AP, the ground collapsed last August some 40 miles (65 km) south of Baton Rouge.
The residents of Bayou Corne were advised to leave the area as oil and natural gas rose and inundated the already swampy area.
Authorities have revealed that the sinkhole was formed by the ground collapsing because of an underground salt dome cavern. The salt dome was created by salt mine operator Texas Brine Co.
The company has offered the residents buyouts, but only half of them have agreed. 92 families have been offered money, and only 44 have said yes until now.
The others could be suing, as a class action suit is already underway, with the case being tried in 2014.