Nature
PUBLISHED
Another giant sinkhole has appeared in Manchester, just weeks after a different crater opened in the middle of a road.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.First sinkhole that opened up on a busy road in Manchester. Via Alex Hibbert on Twitter
Smaller than the previous sinkhole, which was believed to be 12 meters (40 feet) deep and 9 meters (30 feet) wide, the new hole is said to be 3 meters (10 feet) deep and 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide. Local newspaper Manchester Evening News reports that workmen have claimed the new hole is just meters away from the larger hole, but that the two are apparently not connected.
A second sinkhole has appeared in Manchester http://t.co/9YuchlgWVV pic.twitter.com/gdi3DNEY7i
— The Independent (@Independent) September 2, 2015
A spokesperson from United Utilities told the newspaper: "Our engineers are working to make the hole safe, given that we already have the expertise and equipment in the immediate area.
"Together with Manchester City Council, we are investigating the cause, but there is nothing to suggest that the hole is related to the one on the Mancunian Way."
There has yet to be an official cause for the sinkholes, and luckily there have been no casualties.
Sinkholes are formed various ways, but are essentially created due to the bedrock underneath the surface soil eroding, usually via water carrying away chunks of rock. These gaps within the bedrock become larger and larger, until eventually the structure becomes so weak it can no longer support the surface above it. Sometimes this will result in a dramatic collapse, although some sinkholes are formed over time.
Humans are often responsible for the formation of sinkholes, as work like drilling, mining, construction and even heavy traffic in the area can lead to underground structures collapsing.
[H/T: The Huffington Post]
