60-feet sinkhole opened in Florida front lawn, leaving neighbors nervous

A sinkhole approximately 60-feet deep opened up in someone's front lawn over the weekend in Florida, local officials said.

The Polk County Fire Rescue department posted on Facebook about the massive pit, which occurred Saturday in Highland City, east of Tampa. As of Saturday, officials said it did not pose a risk to the county roadway.

ABC Action News reported that the family living on the property where the sinkhole occurred evacuated safely. Still, neighbors are nervous as it happened along the only road in and out of the subdivision, according to the outlet.

The hole continued to expand since it was discovered Saturday, Polk County Emergency Management director Paul Womble said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Tuesday. Originally measured at 15-feet wide, it is now 15- by 30-feet wide. Officials said the hole is being filled in, which is expected to take several days.

More:Busch Gardens sinkhole spills millions of gallons of wastewater, environmental agency says

Sinkholes are common in Florida

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, sinkholes are common in the Sunshine State.

Sinkholes happen when bedrock erodes over eons of time as acidic water wears down limestone or dolomite, which are the two most common carbonate rocks in Florida.

This empties drainage systems and creates voids, and when the ceilings of those cavities can no longer hold the matter on top, it collapses. The Florida DEP says that only few of the collapses occur near roadways or homes.

A recent report by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation showed that insurance companies closed at least 300 claims related to sinkholes in 2022.