Your poor uncle! I would be sick about the damage.
Sure, happy to be safe and happy it wasn't worse, but what a pain.
When we had our big one here, I was afraid something would fall on the pups. I screamed for them to "come." Trainers would frown on my tactics, but the boys obey when they hear fear in my voice. We huddled in the door jam, but other people pointed out that I probably should have gone outside. Seeing your pictures of the sink holes, I don't know if going outside would be good.
Nowhere is safe.