200-meter-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.
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)
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
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:
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.