This massive 30-foot sinkhole has opened up overnight under a pub’s terrace and the building is being evacuated amid fears it could collapse.
The incident took place in the city of Amiens in the northern French department of Hauts-de-France.
Local police discovered the hole at 6:40am this morning (Monday). The hole is 10 metres wide and five metres deep (30 feet and 16 feet respectively).
It is right in front of a local pub and the venue’s terrace actually has part of it dangling over the huge drop.
The gas and electricity in the area were cut off and the hole was cordoned off.
No injuries have been reported but the authorities have urged the locals living in the building, above the pub, to evacuate the premises in case there is a risk of collapse, which they are currently assessing, according to a statement from the town hall.
Local experts are currently investigating the hole and what could have caused it.
The Hazard Prevention and Archaeological Excavation Services of Amiens have been working to determine the causes of the sinkhole.
The area is known for its Roman remains, which were transformed in the Middle Ages into a fortress, according to local paper Le Courrier Picard.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Alex Cope, Agency: Central European News
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