BLACKHAWK, S.D. (KBHB) – Meade County officials met with residents of an affected subdivision in Blackhawk Friday night.

At least a dozen homes in the Northdale subdivision are affected by two large sinkholes that have developed. It’s believed there was an old gypsum mine underneath the area.

The Northdale Sanitation District is having the area along East Daisy fenced off. Only residents will be allowed in to remove items from their evacuated homes and No trespassing signs have been erected to keep people out.

The most promising possibility for affected homeowners right now may be to apply under existing presidential disaster proclamations tied to the 2019 flooding in South Dakota for federal home buyouts. If this option proves possible, residents would have until July 31 to apply.

Meade County Commissioners say it’s a lengthy process that would be aided by local governmental officials and could ultimately result in homeowners receiving 75 percent of the certified appraised value of their homes from the federal government.

Commissioners plan to discuss the situation at their next meeting on May 12th. Commissioner Doreen Creed says the scope of the mining and resulting full impact of the tunneling is also expected to be known by this time.

Meade County is in the process of adjusting the assessments and resulting tax liability for homeowners in this area. The board will make this official as soon as all the data is formally presented by the equalization office.