Huge Sinkhole Closes Roads Near Meherrin

MEHERRIN – Many of our readers have seen sinkholes on television shows or news video in other areas, but the rare occurrence took place near Meherrin last week when a large sinkhole opened up along Route 360.

The sinkhole was located along the eastbound side of the double lane highway and took place on the morning of Wednesday, March 24.

The Virginia Department of Transportation issued an immediate release noting that the highway would be closed. The release stated, “Eastbound U.S. Route 360, Patrick Henry Highway, in Prince Edward County from Bruceville Road, state route 701 in Lunenburg County to Moore’s Ordinary Road, state route 728 in Prince Edward County is currently closed for emergency repairs and a detour established. 

“Eastbound traffic was being detoured off US 360 E to Route 701, onto Route 728 and back onto US 360 E.  The maintenance work is anticipated to be complete by tomorrow (Thursday, March 25) evening.  Traffic control devices will alert motorists to the changes in traffic pattern.”

The hole was quickly worked on to make repairs and open the road up again, but it was estimated that the hole was approximately 25’ deep or more. 

As the name suggests, sinkholes involve land sinking, causing holes in the ground. They are cavities or pits in the ground that form when water erodes an underlying rock layer, or if the rock is limestone, salt beds, or carbonate rock, which can naturally dissolve by groundwater circulating through them.

As the rock dissolves, spaces and caverns develop underground causing the surface to be susceptible to sinkholes. Sinkholes are very dramatic as land can stay intact for quite some time until the underground spaces get very big. If there is not enough support for the land above the spaces, a sudden collapse of the land surface will occur, resulting in sinkholes.

(Photos by Virginia Preparedness)