Will FEMA Or Insurance Cover Irma-Related Sinkhole Or Washout Damage?

Across Central Florida, the ground is giving way as gaping holes are opening in backyards, schoolyards and roadways. The culprits are sinkholes and washouts — and victims wonder if the cause could be the extra water from Hurricane Irma. While the two may look similar on the surface, their causes differ — and only official inspectors will be able to tell homeowners with damages if they can recoup costs from the storm’s effects. Sinkholes are natural occurrences caused by the erosion of bedrock over time and can open without provocation, experts say. Florida is built on a limestone bed, making the state — especially areas of western Central Florida — particularly vulnerable.