A photo from open sources
Emergencies resulting in death or irreversible consequences, man calls disasters. Often the causes of disasters are the forces of nature: earthquakes, volcanoes, winds, or meteorites falling from the sky. However, a person sometimes Itself can cause a disaster.
Wonderful Lake in Louisiana
Lake Pener (area 5 sq. Km, depth 3.3 m.) Local residents considered a paradise. It lay away from the famous Louisiana swamps in the forest zone. Mild climate, up to 300 sunny days a year, healthy air, wonderful fishing – well, what else is it necessary?
On weekends, residents of the nearby city of New Iberia gathered here. At their service were beaches, pleasure boats, and even a botanical garden on an island in the middle of a lake. The banks of the reservoir gradually settled pensioners from among those for whom the funds did not allow settling in Florida.
To avoid swamping, the authorities tied the lake channel with the Gulf of Mexico and diverted excess water. At the same time decided and the transportation problem of the Diamond Crystal Salt Company. For many years, the company mined salt and huge tunnels in the vicinity. up to 30m wide. and up to 24m high. passed under the lake at a depth 470-490 meters.
In 1980, oil drillers appeared in the vicinity of Pener Texaco Corporation. A rig appeared right in the middle of the lake. installation. Residents of the cottage village sadly grieved: do not give God will find oil, then goodbye a quiet idyll. They did not suspect what real troubles will bring them search engines “black gold. ”
Catastrophe
On the evening of November 20, shift workers at the rig faced problem: at a depth of 375 meters the drill became. By 6am the next day specialists pulled themselves up. By changing the modes, they achieved that the drill overcame the obstacle. At 6:30 with a strange sound, the drill began tilt. Workers abandoned all affairs and urgently moved to shore – and on time: right before their eyes, the installation collapsed and left under water.
A photo from open sources
A few minutes later in the middle of the lake a huge a bubble and water rushed ashore, pouring lawns in front of the houses, moorings and beaches, and then rushed to the funnel that arose in the center lakes.
Underground
That day, 50 people worked at the Diamond Crystal Salt Company. workers. Electrician Junius Gaddison heard a strange noise and went find out the reason. A stream of dirty water rushed towards him rolled empty fuel barrels beating against each other. Water fast reached the knees. Junius raised the alarm, people ran to the elevator mine already waist-deep in water. The steel cage of the elevator was designed for 8 people.
As it turned out later, a drill of oil workers broke through the ceiling. The 35-cm hole was rapidly growing in size. Fresh water quickly dissolved the left salt pillars, supporting the arch and it collapsed.
On the surface
In the eyes of residents and workers of the drilling funnel rapidly increased in size and soon reached 55 meters in diameter. A huge stream washed the island with a botanical in a few minutes a garden, barges, a tugboat, boats, trees, cars, gazebos. Elderly man with nephew fishing in this early hour on the boat struggled with the oars. (Running let’s say forward – they survived.)
A photo from open sources
In less than three hours, 13 billion liters of water went under water. Of the center of the hollow with a terrifying roar hit a 120-meter fountain rocks and dirt – this escaped the air from underground voids. A beautiful lake, the paradise of Louisiana was gone. But it was only the first part of the drama. In an empty bowl the lake through the canal the waters of the Gulf of Mexico surged. Two days later, the lake returned to their shores. But now the water in it was salty.
After the disaster
Fortunately, there were no casualties. Early morning, weekday. Happen everyone on a day off, or at least during the day – dozens would be considered dead. All the miners remained alive. Just the day before regular safety exercises, and everyone knew that he have to do. All the miners, although in fear, managed to get out to the surface even before the vaults collapsed. True all of them instantly became unemployed.
A photo from open sources
Then litigation began, after which Texaco paid 32 million Diamond Crystal Salt Company for destroyed mine and 12.8 million residents for environmental damage.
A photo from open sources
Today about. You can find a pener on any map, but its ecology has changed beyond recognition. Sea species now live in the lake plants and animals, the depth increased by more than 100 times – from 3.3 meters to 390.
The lake has ceased to be a place of pilgrimage for vacationers, and the few remaining residents longingly recall ruined “paradise” and are indispensable participants all anti-shale protests in the USA.
Posted by: Klim Podkova
Island Water
