• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Swallowed Up By The Ground: Sinkholes!

Mancunian Way collapse: Huge 30ft hole opens in road after rain

A huge hole has appeared in one of Manchester city centre's busiest roads after heavy rainfall.
The hole, on the eastbound carriageway of the Mancunian Way, is 40ft (12m) deep and at least 30ft (9m) wide.
Both carriageways have been fenced off between the Macdonald Hotel, near Piccadilly Station, and Fairfield Street.
It is believed a large water pipe beneath the road eroded, causing the road surface to cave in.

About two weeks' worth of rain fell in about six hours in the city on Friday.
Geology specialist Dr Nigel Cassidy, of Keele University, said: "There is soft sediment in there [under the road] and when it gets wet, as we had with this rainfall, the sediment gets weaker.
"It can wash away sand and you end up with a small cavity opening up, particularly if there is a broken sewer," he added.

Manchester City Council said the road could remain closed over the weekend "depending on the extent of the issue".
The closure is likely to add to greater congestion on Sunday when Manchester City play Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium. The Mancunian Way is one of the main routes to the ground from the west.

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-33929490
 
Officials monitor expanding Russian sinkhole

A crater in Russia, which emerged 10 months ago has tripled in size to become a 120m-wide sinkhole.
The sinkhole, near the town of Solikamsk, is believed to have been caused by flood erosion in an underground mine.
The collapsing soil has already claimed a number of holiday homes, but officials say local people are not in danger.

VIDEO: Lucas de Jong reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34162094
 
An unusual one, right on the edge of the sea:
Sinkhole swallows car and caravan at Queensland's Inskip Point campsite
‘I thought we were goners for sure,’ camper says after 100 metre-by-100 metre hole takes bite out of coastline, forcing evacuation of up to 140 people
Australian Associated Press
Sunday 27 September 2015 05.13 BS

A camper at a popular Queensland beach has described the terrifying speed with which a sinkhole swallowed a car, caravan and camping trailer. The 150-by-50 metre sinkhole opened up at the Inskip Point camping area near Rainbow Beach about 11pm on Saturday. Authorities say the hole is now three metres deep and takes in a large part of the MV Beagle camp site.

One camper, Melanie Wotherspoon, described the experience in a Facebook post. “Yep, can’t believe we made it out,” she wrote. “I thought we were goners for sure, was truly scary how fast it came into our campsite and swallowed it up.”
A woman ran through nearby campsites, screaming at people to wake up and get out, the ABC reports.

Police and SES crews raced to the site, where no one was reported injured or missing. Up to 140 people were evacuated.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife staff have cordoned off the area to prevent vehicle and pedestrian access. Other camping grounds at Inskip Point remain open but people are being warned to stay away from the sinkhole.
“There is a real possibility the hole could expand with ocean currents, so people are urged to avoid the area,” said a senior ranger, Dan Clifton. “While we continue to assess the situation, our priority is public safety.”

Holidaymakers who have booked at the MV Beagle campsite can call park authorities for alternative arrangements or to arrange refunds.
The sinkhole is the second in four years at the spot, with a similar sized hole opening up in 2011. Doh! :rolleyes:

http://www.theguardian.com/australi...-caravan-at-queenslands-inskip-point-campsite

(Photo and video)
 
St Albans sinkhole opens up on residential street

_85847476_cqn73luwwaaebhe.jpg


A massive sinkhole has opened up on a residential street in St Albans, forcing the evacuation of several families from their homes in the night.
The 66ft (20m) diameter hole spreads across a front garden and driveway on Fontmell Close and is 33ft (10m) deep.
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said at least 10 people were taken to an evacuation centre set up at nearby nightclub Batchwood Hall.

Residents are said to have heard a crash before the huge crater appeared.
A spokesman for the fire service said it was previously aware of a small hole and it was due to be filled in.
But it then received a call at 01:30 BST to say it had "opened up substantially" overnight.
Highways engineers are currently assessing the scene before the crater is filled in.

Fifty-eight homes in the area are currently without gas, electric and water, including residents on nearby Bridal Close.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-34410423
 
St Albans sinkhole: Further 'void' possible at sinkhole site

A "possible void" has been found under a road where a sinkhole opened up, which could be three times larger than the existing hole, a council said.
The 33ft (10m) deep hole appeared in the former claypit site of Fontmell Close in St Albans on 1 October.
The county council said a survey showed a "significant anomaly" which was likely to be underneath homes. :eek:
It said it was talking to residents about carrying out "intrusive" surveys as soon as possible.

A survey of the road and footpath in Fontmell Close and Bridle Close by Geotechnology Ltd involved working out the precise measurements of gravity under the road.
It showed the collapse, which has since been filled with 48 lorry-loads of foamed concrete, happened within the boundary of a clay pit excavated in the 19th Century and backfilled with waste from the area.
However, experts said the "most likely" explanation for the collapse was chalk excavation in the bedrock beneath the clay.

The council said its investigation appeared to show "a significant amount of missing mass adjacent to the site of the collapse".
Rob Smith, the deputy director of the environment at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "We don't know where the centre of the anomaly is but it tells us there is something there that requires further investigation.
"The best interpretation of the data is that there is a void of about 20m depth, which is likely to be an old chalk mine, but this is not definitive."

He said it was likely that was underneath homes but the council needed to carry out a "more intrusive investigation" to "determine the full extent of the problem".
The council said it could not give an exact timescale but it would "be at least six months" before the "anomaly" could be investigated and fixed.

Mr Smith said the authority had met with residents to discuss the way forward but if a cavity is found to extend under houses, householders must speak to their insurers about remedial work as the council is only responsible for the highways.
"We appreciate this is upsetting news and are continuing to work together to determine the next steps, he said.
"It's a dreadful situation for the residents, I would love to have a magic wand and make it go away but we are being as informative as we can."

Most residents in the close have returned to their homes but it is not known when the few people in the immediate area of the hole can return.
Mr Smith said "a number of anomalies" had been identified in the area which also needed investigation but they were not as urgent.
"If residents are worried they need to undertake their own investigation," he said.
"But I am happy that they have all the information from us so they can make their own decisions."

Rosemary Broom who lives adjacent to the hole said she is concerned about the situation.
"We don't really know where we're going with it at the minute, it's very worrying," she said. :(

Neighbour, Ben Bagshaw, said: "We're hoping the insurance companies will help us out, but so far there's been no promise that's going to happen."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-34639340

Survey and pics on page.
 
50ft hole opens in 92-year-old woman's Carbis Bay garden
By CMKirsteSmith | Posted: November 05, 2015

A 92-YEAR-OLD woman in Carbis Bay has spoken of her shock when a mineshaft at least 40 to 50ft deep opened up in her back garden after a water pipe ruptured.

The ground in Kathleen Angel's back garden crumbled away after a pipe burst in a building site near Carninney Lane on Saturday – flushing water underneath her home on Polwithen Drive. The site is currently undergoing excavation work to locate and cap any mines that could cause problems for two houses which are set to be built on the land.
Other residents of nearby Polwithen Drive were left without water for up to five hours.

Kathleen said: "It was a great shock. I heard something and looked up and there it was – a very deep, big hole in the middle of my garden. It is very concerning, very much so."residents fear that a mineshaft could open in their back gardens if a water pipe was to rupture again

Josie Perritt, who lives next door to Kathleen, said: "This is so scary.
"After learning about Kath's garden, I immediately went to check my own. I am 60 and my husband is 68 and we both have mobility issues. This is not funny – it could happen again."

Stella Noon, who also lives on the same road, said: "This is very concerning. We have been told that our bungalows have been built securely but there is no guarantee for our gardens or garages. This is normally a peaceful and nice area but the building work is noisy and we haven't been approached by the developer to tell us what is going on. There is no common courtesy."

However, Brian Poole, senior geologist at Mining Searches UK, who is assisting with the excavation and capping of mines at Carbis Bay, said: "I believe the sudden burst of water caused the opening in the garden and the water has now gone deeper underground and into the natural drainage system. I believe the water has done all the damage it could do.
"Carbis Bay is an area which has been heavily mined throughout history and there are a lot of mines that are not recorded. If residents are concerned they should get a mining search done and then a mining consultant can assess the risks and actions."

Kathleen's daughter, Laura Bonner, said Ian Johnson, owner and developer of the land, had been helpful after the mineshaft opened up: "My mum was obviously very shocked when it happened, but the land developer has been extremely kind and helpful, and she has no concerns about the houses being built behind her property. She is just looking forward to her garden being put back to normal."

A spokesperson from South West Water added: "A burst water main in Carninney Lane, Carbis Bay, caused by a third party, was reported to us on Saturday, October 31, and repaired the same day. We received 26 calls from customers in the area reporting they had no water as a result of the burst. Our technicians immediately re-routed the water supplies in the area, so most properties had their water restored by 5pm on October 31.
"A few properties closest to the burst were off for longer but had their supplies restored later that evening."

http://www.cornishman.co.uk/50ft-hole-opens-Carbis-Bay-garden/story-28120118-detail/story.html#1
 
Norwich, Thurs March 3rd 1988, just before my final exams at UEA. A sinkhole happened at the top of Earlham Road, near St John's Hill, and a bus on its way into the city from the University fell into it. Being as we were diligent students with final exams coming up, we raced up to view the scene, found the police were already setting up diversions and barriers, and got to see it for ourselves. Very impressive: a bus sticking up out of a hole in the ground at an approximately 45 degree angle is something you do not see every day.

It was put down to old mine workings under the hill (the Catholic cathedral is built on top and needed really serious underpinning to make it feasible, or else the whole building might have dropped down a hole). If memory serves me right, the building behind the bus is the local synagogue.

EDIT: just read the thing about Plumstead Road: it's on the opposite side of the city from where the bus went down the hole on Earlham Road. But then, I vaguely recall somebody telling me the tunnels and mediaeval mine workings under the centre of Norwich go on for a long way in all directions.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21804434@N02/3279171284/?ytcheck=1
 
Last edited:
Huge sinkhole opens up between two buildings in central Germany

sinkhole1.jpg

Sinkhole: Two buildings were destroyed after the hole opened up EPA/JESSICA PIPER/NORDHAUSEN COUNTY
Two buildings were destroyed after a huge sinkhole opened up in Germany.

The giant crater, which is thought to be up to 50 metres deep, appeared in Nordhausen, central Germany, on Friday.

The 30 metre-wide sinkhole dragged parts of two buildings, which were unoccupied, inside and wiring was left hanging from the parts of the buildings which had been left standing.

The pit has since filled with muddy water, with the parts of the building consumed by the sinkhole no longer visible.

sinkhole2.jpg

Deep: The sinkhole filled with water after it opened
Spiegel Online reported a large area was cordoned off and experts from the State Mining Authority and Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology visited the scene to carry out investigations.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the sinkhole is currently unknown.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/worl...wo-buildings-in-central-germany-a3185231.html
 
Looks like something to do with sewage.
Maybe the lid caved in?
 
or an air raid shelter?
 
A lot of people have been waiting for this, but it was supposed to get more than just one hotel.
 
A car has fallen down a huge hole in a street in south-east London.

The Vauxhall Zafira was left on Woodland Terrace in Charlton by Ghazi Hassan, who was visiting his brother on Wednesday night.

He said this "wasn't a good day" but was "thankful" his family were not hurt and no-one else was injured in the incident.

BBC Radio London has reported speculation that the collapse could be due to recent heavy rain.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-36273548
 
Earlier today a sinkhole appeared in downtown Ottawa and swallowed a parked car. No injuries reported, fortunately. Rumours are circulating that it may also have swallowed a crane but that hasn't been confirmed. One of the businesses forced to evacuate is the hotel just around the corner from the sinkhole. My gym is located in that hotel, so no workout for me or any of the other members today:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/sinkhole-rideau-street-downtown-ottawa-1.3621949
 
Sounds like an nursery rhyme....

Did it start off swallowing a bike and then work its up the vehicular size chart until it overreached itself and expired?
I knew an old woman who swallowed a fly...
I don't know why she swallowed a fly...
Perhaps she'll die

etc...

"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," alternatively "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," "There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly," or "I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly," is a cumulative children's song whose music was composed by Alan Mills, and whose lyrics were written by Rose Bonne.[when?][1] A version of the song was released on Brunswick Records in 1953, and sung by Burl Ives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Was_an_Old_Lady_Who_Swallowed_a_Fly
 
Sinkhole swallows Australian backyard
2 August 2016 Last updated at 12:28 BST

A sinkhole filled with sloshing brown water has opened up in an Australian backyard.

The large circular pit appeared behind the house of Ray and Lynn McKay in Ipswich, west of Brisbane.

TV footage showed large chunks of soil slipping into the muddy water.

The hole is now 8m (26ft) in diameter and the McKays have been evacuated from their home.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-36939793

 
Sinkhole causes 980 million litres of radioactive water to leak into Florida aquifer
1087509899sinkhole-large_trans++OnF-pGyuMayIW5_daymjxiImGAdBoa93I5UShDGAszs.jpg

An aerial photograph of the massive sinkhole in Mulberry, Florida Credit: AP
17 September 2016 • 8:35am
A sinkhole has opened up at a fertilizer plant in the US, causing about 980 million litres of radioactive water to leak into one of Florida's main underground sources of drinking water.

The sinkhole, which is about 14 metres in diameter, collapsed beneath a pile of waste material called a “gypsum stack”.

Sitting on top of the stack was a storage pond containing phosphogypsum, which is a radioactive by-product resulting from the production of phosphate.

Mosaic, the world's largest supplier of phosphate, said the hole at its New Wales facility in the town of Mulberry was discovered by a worker on August 27.

It said the sinkhole is believed to reach down to the Floridan aquifer, which supplies drinking water to millions of residents in the state. Aquifers are huge underground systems of porous rocks that hold water.

More text at link...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...-million-litres-of-radioactive-water-to-leak/

 
Wow, that's enormous.

It's comforting for locals to know there's no cause for concern because

“Groundwater moves very slowly,” said David Jellerson, Mosaic’s senior director for environmental and phosphate projects. “There’s absolutely nobody at risk.”

More

The incident comes less than a year after Mosaic, one of the world’s largest fertilizer makers, settled a vast federal environmental lawsuit with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in which the company agreed to nearly $2bn in fixes, improvements and cleanups at its plants.

Since the 1960s, toxic solid waste from fertilizer production in Florida has been growing – some stored in 500ft-tall piles that sometimes span more than 600 acres. Mosaic makes a common phosphorus-based fertilizer, the production of which creates polluted water and solid waste.

In 2004, during Hurricane Frances, 65m gallons of polluted waste from a fertilizer plant was sent into waters near Tampa Bay, resulting in thousands of dead fish and other marine life. In 1994, a sinkhole in Polk County opened, sending tons of waste from one of the company’s waste piles into the earth.

The EPA found that Mosaic improperly handled its facilities, which posed a threat to the environment and human health. These violations led to last year’s legal settlement and the company’s public commitment to become more environmentally friendly.
 
Dramatic video with this story:
Huge sinkhole opens up in Japanese city: 'I heard a loud boom'
Street collapses outside main railway station in south-western city of Fukuoka shortly after 5am, causing chaos and evacuations
Justin McCurry in Tokyo
Tuesday 8 November 2016 02.06 GMT

Video:

A huge sinkhole has opened in the centre of a Japanese city, prompting concern for commercial buildings perched precariously on its edge.
Photographs on social media showed the sinkhole forming in front of the main railway station in the south-western city of Fukuoka shortly after 5am.

By mid-morning an entire section of a main road had caved in and the 20 metre-wide hole had started to fill with water.
The road’s sudden collapse caused power cuts and gas leaks.

People working in nearby buildings, including a 7-Eleven store right on the edge of the sinkhole, were told to evacuate. There were no reports of injuries.
The city’s government said it believed the collapse was connected to construction work on a nearby underground train line.

“The electricity went off suddenly and I head a loud boom,” Kyodo news agency quoted a witness a witness as saying.
“I went outside and saw a huge hole.”
Another local worker said: “The road has collapsed near my office and now I can’t go to work because we’ve been told to evacuate.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/08/huge-sinkhole-japanese-city-fukuoka-railway-station
 
Sinkholes are beautiful and terrifying!
 
Lee High Road sinkhole traps coach carrying tourists

A coach carrying dozens of tourists became trapped in a sinkhole when a water main burst beneath a busy south-east London road.

A major incident was declared by police as Lee High Road flooded near Lewisham on Saturday night.
Some people had to be moved to a temporary shelter while many living in surrounding areas have been left without any water supply.
Thames Water has apologised and said the repairs were "complicated".

The coach remains trapped in the sinkhole.

_92680349_mediaitem92680348.jpg

MET POLICE

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38122513
 
Back
Top