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Birmingham, Ala. — Alabama homeowners face an elevated risk of sinkholes, and experts say the earliest warning signs often appear quietly, long before major ground failures occur.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, large portions of Alabama sit atop limestone and other soluble rock that can dissolve as water moves underground. This process, known as karst erosion, can gradually create voids beneath the surface, weakening the ground above. Changes in groundwater levels — from heavy rain, seasonal shifts, or prolonged wet periods — can accelerate that erosion…