Alert level raised at Assumption Parish sinkhole to highest alert level

[link to www.nola.com]
Work has stopped at the Assumption Parish sinkhole after more trees were sucked underwater Monday.

Assumption Parish officials posted an update on their website at 3:30 p.m. Monday saying response activity at Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou is at a “code 3,” which is the highest alert level.

No work is allowed on the sinkhole or within the containment berms, the statement said. However, officials said they haven’t detected elevated levels of seismic activity since last week’s event, in which several trees were swallowed in seconds. The incident was captured on video and the post on YouTube now has more than 5.9 million views.

Since Wednesday, parish officials have reported two more incidents of trees getting sucked underwater in the same area as Wednesday's slough-in.

But, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources said in a statement Thursday that the slough-in does not represent a new threat to public safety.

The state of Louisiana earlier this month said it is suing Texas Brine for the environmental damage and massive sinkhole that officials say was caused by the collapse of a salt dome cavern operated by the company.

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