SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. — A huge sinkhole has opened in Sunrise Beach and one lane of Route TT is closed tonight while Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) crews repair it.
The sinkhole opened next to Doctor's Lawn and Landscaping on Wednesday. The sinkhole appears to be a whopping 8 feet in diameter and 24 feet deep, MoDOT says.
Route TT is currently open to traffic; however, one lane is closed while MoDOT crews work to remove loose material and backfill the hole to hopefully permanently repair it. That work is planned to last through the evening tonight until at least 7 p.m. When repairs are complete, full traffic on TT will resume, although MoDOT says they plan on staying in contact with Sunrise Beach Fire Department and Doctor’s Landscaping to ensure the repairs have resolved the issue.
“We will continue to monitor the sinkhole to ensure our repairs this evening resolve the issue or if more measures will need to be taken,” said area engineer Danny Roeger.
According to Roeger, the sinkhole is caused by karst soil which has multiple layers of rock and clay. Roeger says these layers can cause voids or pockets to open below the surface and create sinkholes. Excessive soil saturation can be a contributing factor, so Tuesday's heavy rainfall may be to blame for the sudden emergence of this sinkhole.
For more information, or to report a suspected sinkhole, call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT.
