BAYOU CORNE — This week in WBRZ history, about 150 homeowners were forced to evacuate after a sinkhole was formed from a collapsed salt dome in Bayou Corne.

The evacuation order for the small Assumption Parish community came down in August 2012, but concerns about the area had been building for months.

Water began to bubble up in nearby bayous, which was followed by a series of tests. Their results? There are earthquakes in Assumption Parish.

The operators of the salt dome the community sat upon, Texas Brine Company, denied the likelihood of a sinkhole, but the cavern was actually collapsing, with the sinkhole it formed continuing to grow.

Six years later, a judge found that Texas Brine was 35% at fault for what happened. The owners of the dome, Occidental Petroleum, were found to hold 50% of the blame.

The sinkhole has since grown from about 200 feet across to more than 35 acres. The aftermath of the sinkhole continues to affect the community, with 2020 Census data showing only 32 people live in the community. Before the sinkhole formed, there were more than 300.

Watch more of WBRZ’s celebration of 70 years of local and community-driven coverage on YouTube at the playlist below: