The Civil Defense, along with local government agents, is conducting inspections on a newly formed crater in the Jardim Imperial neighborhood of São José dos Campos, Brazil. This crater emerged over the weekend, prompting immediate action to assess its impact on the surrounding area. As a safety precaution, four houses and a building with 34 apartments have been evacuated, leading to the displacement of 156 residents who are currently staying with friends and family while the situation is being evaluated.

This recent crater is situated on Felisbina de Souza Machado street, just 250 meters from a previous large sinkhole that occurred two weeks ago, swallowing a truck. The history of these sinkholes in this area is not new, as residents have experienced similar occurrences over the past 15 years. This pattern of ground subsidence raises significant concerns about infrastructure stability and safety, leading to increasing scrutiny from local authorities regarding urban planning and geological assessments in the region.

The continuing development of sinkholes not only poses immediate dangers to residents but also underscores the need for thorough municipal investigations into the underlying causes of such geological phenomena. The local government will need to implement measures to better assess and manage the risks associated with such occurrences in order to protect the community from future potential disasters.