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Huge Crack Discovered In Earth In Wyoming

TEN SLEEP, Wyo. (CBS4)- A huge crack in the Earth was discovered in a rural area near Ten Sleep in northcentral Wyoming. Geologists believe it is the result of a landslide.

It is unlikely that anyone witnessed the landslide.

wyoming crack5
(credit: Randy Becker)

Chamois Andersen with the Wyoming State Geological Survey has seen pictures of the crack and says the evidence is all anecdotal so far but not uncommon.

She says geologists there say "It appears this may be due to groundwater has created weakness in what is already a saturated hillside. Further saturation like a wet spring and summer leads to more weakness, then the hillside shifted and caused a landslide with an associated large crack."

wyoming crack
(credit: Randy Becker)

Andersen also advises people to stay away from the site because it is considered an active landslide and unsafe.

She also believes the slide happened gradually, over a week or two.

wyoming crack4
(credit: Randy Becker)

The size is estimated at 750 yards long by 50 yards wide.

Randy Becker, a hunter who saw the crack and took some pictures, was surprised to see it, "I was stunned. The magnitude of this shift in earth is dramatic. It blows you away to see it."

wyoming crack3
(credit: Randy Becker)
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