G5-Sinkholes Lower-03

In the winter of 2010, sinkholes began opening up near Plant City, Florida. One sinkhole was so big that it closed two lanes of the nearby highway. Other sinkholes caused damage to many homes and even a school.

At one time, much of Florida was a coral reef. Coral reefs are made up of colonies of tiny marine animals.

Over time, a coral reef becomes a huge limestone structure. Around 10,000 years ago, the sea level dropped. When the sea level dropped, the coral reef become land.

Florida receives a lot of rainfall. This rainfall moves quickly through the sandy soil. It travels downward toward the limestone below. Due to gravity, the water seeps down through the small cracks in the limestone. As the water moves through the small cracks, it slowly dissolves the limestone. Over time, the cracks get larger and larger. The moving water dissolves and carries away some of the rock. With enough time, these cracks can turn into large caverns.