1980day.year
Lake Peigneur in Louisiana drains into an underlying salt deposit. A misplaced Texaco oil probe had been drilled into the Diamond Crystal Salt Mine, causing water to flow down into the mine, eroding the edges of the hole.
On November 20, 1980, Lake Peigneur in Louisiana catastrophically drained into an underground salt mine after an errant Texaco drilling operation, creating a massive whirlpool.
A Texaco oil drilling rig accidentally punctured the roof of the Diamond Crystal Salt Company mine beneath Lake Peigneur, triggering a sudden collapse. Tons of water rushed into the mine, creating a powerful vortex that drained the lake within hours. Nearby cranes and barges were swept into the mine shaft as the lake bed dropped dramatically. Miraculously, there were no fatalities, and most equipment and infrastructure were restored months later. The incident remains a unique example of human activity causing a complete inversion of a natural water body. It prompted new regulations on drilling operations near sensitive geological formations.
1980
Lake Peigneur
Louisiana
salt deposit
Texaco