Sinkholes in Ocala

In a turn of events that is almost reminiscent of Plant City sinkholes earlier this year, Ocala is seemingly under attack by sinkhole activity. Again and again, we have talked about the huge breadth of the sinkhole activity in Ocala and now we can see it at the surface.

The most publicized sinkhole is near the Fore Ranch area and began as a 28-foot wide monster and now has grown to a 50-foot behemoth! Apparently, this one is not alone as there have been at least three other cover-collapse sinkholes develop in the Ocala area in just a matter of days. City officials blame the heavy rains for the collapses and note that the water level in adjacent retention ponds has dropped six feet since the collapse.

Who has to foot the bill?

Fore Ranch will likely have to pitch in on the repair bill. Luckily, at this point, no homes appear to be in danger but roads have been closed causing hassles and headaches for those in the area.

The city has apparently hired Geotech to perform an investigation and begin repairs. We are familiar with Geotech and are a very capable company that should do a good job taking care of this problem.

How sinkholes affect the area

The long term question is what effect will this have on the homes and businesses in the area. That remains to be seen but nearby residents should surely keep a vigilant watch and report any signs of movement immediately.

On a side note, a former client of ours who recently resolved a sinkhole claim on his house in Ocala just moved to this area to get away from sinkhole problems.