Sinkhole peninsula Inskip Point could one day disappear, expert says
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Version 0 of 1. The Queensland peninsula where an enormous sinkhole has opened up could eventually disappear, a geotechnical engineer says. About 300 campers were evacuated from Inskip Point near Rainbow Beach on Saturday night after the sinkhole swallowed a car, caravan, tents and a camping trailer. A geotechnical engineer, Allison Golsby, says scientific reports indicate the entire peninsula could fall away. “People have said that at some stage they think Inskip Point may not be there,” she told ABC radio. “Now that could be thousands of years, it could be hundreds of years.” Golsby said the area had a history of sinkholes and should be closely monitored to warn of any further collapse. “The ideal answer is [it is] great to monitor because then we keep everybody in the right place and they won’t be put in a position like that,” she told ABC radio. Geomechanics and geotechnical engineers were investigating and should be able to ascertain what was behind the sinkhole activity and whether the area could be stabilised, she said. The sinkhole is now estimated to have swallowed 200 metres of beachfront. All the campers escaped and no injuries were reported. Geotechnical engineers have completed an initial assessment and were due to conduct further inspections using ground penetrating radar on Monday. Campsites on either side of the sinkhole will remain closed until the area is properly assessed. |