When an Entire Lake Vanished Into the Earth

Summary by Krater

This video covers the Lake Peigneur disaster on November 20, 1980, when a drilling rig in Louisiana breached a subterranean salt mine, draining the lake into the mine and causing massive whirlpools, land collapses, and a temporary reversal of the Delcambre Canal. Despite the catastrophic destruction and disappearance of the mine, all 55 miners underground successfully evacuated, resulting in zero fatalities.

From the video

Answers: What caused the Lake Peigneur disaster in 1980?

• Lake Peigneur disaster
• Jefferson Island Salt Mine
• Texaco drilling rig collapse
• Subterranean mine inundation
• Delcambre Canal water reversal

What it concludes

• No human lives were lost during the Lake Peigneur disaster, and all 55 miners underground successfully evacuated.
• The disaster was caused by a Texaco exploratory drill hole puncturing the Jefferson Island Salt Mine, causing lake water to rush in and dissolve support pillars.
• Texaco and Wilson Brothers agreed to pay $32 million to Diamond Crystal Salt Company and $12.8 million to Live Oak Gardens in settlements.
• The official MSHA report confirmed that Texaco's drill had punctured the salt mine, allowing water to rush in, dissolve support pillars, and trigger the collapse.