Sinkhole on White House Lawn Is Getting Bigger

National Parks Service says it's watching closely
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted May 23, 2018 1:33 AM CDT
Sinkhole Opens Up on White House Lawn
With his red tie over his shoulder, President .Trump walks to Marine One across the White House lawn.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A sinkhole has appeared on the White House lawn, causing headaches for groundskeepers and giving the current occupant's critics an irresistible metaphor. The Washington Post reports that the sinkhole was first spotted last week on the North Lawn, yards away from the White House press briefing office and the office of deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley. Over the last few days, the sinkhole, which groundskeepers have surrounded with caution tape, has expanded and a second one is apparently opening up next to it. The sinkhole could be the result of a leaking old water line eroding space underground, and it doesn't help that much of Washington, DC, is built on swampland, Forbes notes.

Some experts believe the sinkhole could be the result of debris settling from Obama-era construction projects. National Parks Service spokeswoman Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles says the service is keeping a close eye on the situation and is bringing in outside experts to help "remedy the situation," CNN reports. "Sinkholes, like this one, are common occurrences in the Washington area following heavy rain like the DC metro area has experienced in the last week," she says. "We do not believe it poses any risk to the White House or is representative of a larger problem." (A year ago, a sinkhole opened up in front of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.)

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