Demolition continues today on a home in Seffner, near Tampa, where a man was killed when sinkhole opened up under his bedroom. The sad and frightening story of a man swallowed up by the Earth as he slept has most Floridians paying more attention to sinkholes, but they're actually a fairly common occurrence in the state.
The Atlantic has a great article explaining why Florida is so susceptible to sinkholes.
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The truth is, as common as sinkholes are, they are rarely deadly. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection also provides details and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about sinkholes.