Experts say, sinkholes can happen in Virginia. In fact, it did, in Clarke County back in the 90's.

Experts say because sinkholes are a part of nature, there is no way you can prevent them from happening.

We don't have to go far to see where it happened. This area is off Brucetown road in Clarke County and that hole once had part of a house in it. It happened back in 1992. Locals say, no one was hurt, but the home had to be torn down.

"It just falls," said Jonathan Secrist. "Wow."

Jonathan says he is in the process of buying a new home and now have something else to worry about.

"It would definitely scare me because I have a little kid, and my fiancé," said Jonathan. "It's dangerous. It destroys everything."

Experts from the United States Geographical Survey say, these sinkholes are common in Virginia.

"Typically the kind that we experience in Virginia, will be called cover collapse sinkholes," said Daniel Doctor. "That is due to the fact that there are voids in the subsurface that may not be visible at the surface. Those form in types of bedrock that dissolve in water."

Bad weather plays a role when sinkholes form.

"After a very heavy rain storm, it's not a bad idea to survey your property, take a look around," said Daniel. "When it's raining heavily, and water's running off the surface, should you see it running into a hole, that used to didn't be there, that's a good sign that there are voids in the subsurface."

Sinkholes may vary in size up to 2,000 feet both in diameter and depth.

They may form gradually or suddenly, and are found worldwide.

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