A team of University of South Florida researchers and students are getting people inside access into the sinkhole that opened up at a Land O’ Lakes neighborhood, taking down two homes, and leaving six more unlivable.
Lori Collins is a research professor at USF and is a part of the team of geologists and post graduate students researching the sinkhole since day one.
They created a 3D model of the sinkhole as well as an online gallery, giving people around the world access into the area.
“All of this is really just providing us with a lot of information,” said Collins, “both above and below the surface so we can understand the processes that are happening here
The project quickly became personal for Collins, who grew up in the neighborhood where the sinkhole opened up.
“I mean, I remember riding my horse and my bike back here when I was little,” she said.
Now she and her team hope to provide insight for future studies about sinkholes, as well as on where to best build homes.
“We’re going to get better at responding to events like this,” she said.
