· ·

200-meter-long sinkhole opens in Florence and swallows 20 cars, Italy

200-m-long-sinkhole-opens-in-florence-and-swallows-20-cars-italy

A 200-meter-long (650 feet) and 7-meter-wide (23 feet) sinkhole opened up along the Arno River in the center of Florence, Italy around 06:15 (local time) on May 25, 2016, swallowing 20 parked cars.

Emergency services cordoned off the area and asked the residents to evacuate. City's mayor described the situation as very serious.

The initial investigation by the fire service suggests that the sinkhole was caused by a large aqueduct pipe breaking, one of the major water conduits in the neighborhood, and not a leak in the banks of the river.

YouTube video

According to Local.it, this is not the first time a sinkhole has caused chaos in Italy. "They are particularly common in the south of the country due to a combination of weather conditions and structural issues. Sinkholes have opened up in Naples on more than one occasion, prompting hundreds to be evacuated from their homes, and they have swallowed cars in Catania and engulfed trucks in central Rome," the paper said.

Nobody was injured during today's incident.

Featured image: Sinkhole in Florence, Italy on May 25, 2016. Credit: Gianluca Monti (via Twitter)

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *