A massive crater formed during Hurricane Milton continues to threaten homes on Willow Wisp Drive North, nearly a year after the storm caused one house to partially collapse.

The hole, measuring approximately 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep, opened between two houses in October 2024. While the affected residents evacuated safely, neighboring homeowner Antonia Lawson now fears his property is at risk as a depression forms in his front yard.

“It’s downhill, making a whole other hole, and eventually it will look like the hole on the other side if someone doesn’t come and do something about it,” said Lawson, who owns Payless Lawncare.

Residents have contacted Polk County officials multiple times since the hurricane, but little action has been taken. A spokesperson for Polk County’s Roads and Drainage Division confirmed the site was investigated after the storm but provided no timeline for repairs.

Local residents suspect the collapse stems from storm drainage issues exacerbated by nearby development. Lawson pointed to new construction that replaced a wooded area behind the neighborhood, potentially increasing water runoff during storms.

“We have another neighborhood that’s being built behind this neighborhood, and it used to be a wooded area,” Lawson explained. “There was nothing there to stop the water from flowing.”

The crater remains both a safety hazard and an ongoing concern for the community, as residents continue pressing county officials for a solution.

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(Image credit: Lakeland Ledger)

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