BAYOU CORNE, La. (AP) — Texas Brine Co. says it's repairing and raising a sunken section of levee along the southern side of a sinkhole in Ascension Parish, and will build another levee behind it.

A 200-foot-long section of levee sank and cracked from micro-earthquakes dating back to late October. Parish officials say another intense period of tremors between Dec. 23 and Monday did more damage.

Texas Brine spokesman Sonny Cranch tells The Advocate that crews began rebuilding the existing berm on Wednesday.

The levee is meant to keep the salty, oily water in the sinkhole from getting into surrounding freshwater bayous and swamps.

Parish emergency preparedness director John Boudreaux says that without repairs, the slumping section probably would have been under water by Saturday.

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