In Houston, a massive crater has appeared in a gated community, leading to the evacuation of eight houses, as reported by local emergency services.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning, causing the ground to collapse in the plaza area between two rows of upscale townhouses at Sutherland Terrace Place within the Memorial Green community in the suburb of Memorial in west Houston.
The Houston Fire Department, communicating through X (formerly Twitter), announced its presence at the scene on Saturday afternoon and shared images revealing the damage, including bricks, concrete, and earth spilling into the newly formed crater.
No injuries were reported, but as a precaution, eight homes were evacuated, and building engineers were deployed to assess the extent of the damage.
Captain Beau Moreno of the Houston Fire Department informed local television station ABC 13 that the collapse was linked to an underground floodwater cistern, a structure designed to store water, experiencing a catastrophic failure.
Moreno clarified that the incident was not a sinkhole but a result of the man-made water-storage tank collapsing due to heavy rains in the area, causing the large crater to form.
ABC 13 spoke to witnesses, including a man whose parents’ house felt tremors as the crater emerged, and Rick Mckee, a nearby resident, who expressed shock at the size of the hole.
Houston Public Works stated that since the collapse took place on private property, the community would bear the responsibility for repairs.
The Memorial Green community, established in 2016, is advertised on its website as an “exclusive gated community” featuring luxury homes and an urban plaza with varied amenities.
Comprising 91 single-family homes, community parks, upscale dining options, as well as office and retail spaces over 14 acres, the development offers houses ranging from 2,500 to 3,400 square feet, starting at $1,279,000.
Houston encountered heavy rainfall and flash flooding following Hurricane Beryl’s landfall on July 8, with the city receiving twice its typical July monthly rainfall volume within six hours.
The storm resulted in 26 casualties in Houston and caused widespread damage across Texas, Louisiana, Vermont, the Caribbean, and Canada, estimated at $3.3 billion in losses across the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico.