Sinkhole causes road closure in Lowndes County

LOWNDES CO., GA (WALB) - It was hard to see from the road, but Wednesday the spot where a pond used to be in the front yard of the home on Shiloh Rd. between Parker Rd. and Hall Webb Rd. was a growing sinkhole about 160 ft. across and nearly as deep.

"We'll have the road definitely closed for the next couple of days," said Lowndes County Clerk Paige Dukes. "The engineering staff will have to wait for a there to be a period of inactivity and then we'll bring in geologists to do some sonar on the roadway and on the right of way."

A resident who lives near the sinkhole but didn't want to go on camera said around five o' clock Tuesday evening she heard what sounded like gunshots off and on for about 30 minutes.

What she was hearing was the cypress trees popping and cracking as they shifted as the ground beneath them eroded away. As of Wednesday evening, the sinkhole had not reached the road, but Dukes said it appeared to be getting closer.

"From a devastation stand point, the county is very concerned. Sinkholes are one of those things that you can't buy insurance for," said Dukes.

Dukes noted that the county does have the money to make any repairs that may eventually have to be made to the road, though until the sinkhole stops growing and the geologists can be brought in the county won't know exactly what may have to be done.

There were also a few small holes on the right of way along Shiloh Road next to the pond, but as of Wednesday evening it wasn't clear if those holes may be a part of the pond sinkhole.

Dukes added that if a sinkhole opens up on your property, go ahead and notify the county engineering department anyway so that they can come out and assess any threats that the sinkhole may pose to county property.

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