A timeline of the most important events at the Bayou Corne sinkhole - Louisiana sinkhole

Thewatchers - 9/6/13, Adonai

The Bayou Corne sinkhole, also known as Louisiana sinkhole, was discovered in August 2012 when a Napoleonville salt dome, a naturally-occurring underground salt deposit, suddenly collapsed after months of unexplained seismic activity and mysterious bubbling at the bayou. The sinkhole grew from 1 to 25 acres in just 12 months and the scariest part of it is that the collapse unlocked tens of millions of cubic feet of explosive gases, which have seeped into the aquifer and wafted up to the community (40 million cubic feet = 1.13 million cubic meters).

Texas Brine, the operator of the salt dome, specializes in a process known as injection mining and had been drilling around the dome in order to extract brine, which is used for refining oil. When they mined the salt dome too close to the edge of the dome, say officials, the side wall collapsed and 350 nearby residents were immediately advised to evacuate.

Louisiana's Disappearing Islands

Wunderground.com, 7/31/13

A string of uninhabited islands in the Gulf of Mexico have gone from teeming with wildlife to nearly non-existent thanks to constant pummeling from tropical systems, and according to some scientists, climate change is making matters far worse.

Restoration efforts on the books to save the Chandeleur Islands, a 50-mile trail of atolls just off the coast of Louisiana, and home to the Brenton National Wildlife Refuge, may be too little, too late.

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Earth & Space Weather

Largest waterspout ever seen off Louisiana coast and another near Tampa (video)

Notlinkednewschannel - 6/21/13

Amazing footage of a waterspout. Minor damage reported.

Published on Jun 21, 2013

Grand Isle Residents Say Waterspout The Biggest They've Ever Seen

NEW ORLEANS -- Eyewitness described it as frightening and awe inspiring, and many snapped photos and video.

The funnel cloud caused some minor damage. Part of the roof of a camp has been ripped off after the spout landed near a neighboring camp, while dozens of people marveled at the size and power of the waterspout.

Earth & Space Weather

Massive explosion and fire at Louisiana chemical plant, at least 33 injured

By:RT.com, 06/12/2013

An enormous explosion shook a chemical plant in Geismer, Louisiana, just south of Baton Rouge on Wednesday. The blast was followed by a huge fire. 33 have been injured in the blast, with no fatalities currently confirmed. Follow RT's LIVE UPDATES on Louisiana plant fire

Emergency crews are on the scene and have reported injuries. A hazardous materials team has also been dispatched to the fire. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality says that the total number of those injured in the blast is 33, WAFB reports. 30 were taken by ambulance, and three airlifted. Currently there have been no reported deaths. However, five trauma patients are being treated by Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and they expect more, reports NBC 33.

For more on this story visit www.rt.com