A hole 65 feet in diameter (20 meters) and up to 8 meters deep (26 feet) has appeared in the streets of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, disrupting traffic in the area and threatening to bring down a local business.
One of the corners of the commercial building is practically in the air and
even a light pole has been suspended next to it
, after the immense hole grew this weekend and swallowed the sidewalk around it, authorities reported.
The hole
was caused by a water leak
in a city pipe that is more than 50 years old.
Image of the sinkhole that opened in the streets of Nuevo Laredo.Milenio
In addition, the authorities indicate that recent rains caused a softening of the soil that contributed to the collapse of the pavement.
For this reason, city services have had to disconnect the water and electricity supply networks in the area.
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The mayor of Nuevo Laredo, Arturo Sanmiguel Cantú, went to the area on Monday to assess the damage and reported that work was already underway to repair the damaged 12-meter section of the pipeline.
The street repair works are expected to be completed in about two months
.
Meanwhile, the authorities have implemented a road operation to redirect traffic in the Hidalgo neighborhood.
The incident comes just a week after a gigantic sinkhole appeared in the Mexican state of Puebla.
That hole grew from 15 to 300 feet in diameter and 65 feet deep in just a few days.
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The huge hole attracted media attention from around the world and prompted a reaction from authorities to try to save an attached house that is in danger of collapsing after part of it was suspended over the chasm that opened.
Scientists believe that the origin of the sinkhole in Puebla would be related to the presence of groundwater.