By Reuters via
NBC News
The sinkhole causing concern in Chile has doubled in size in recent days, growing enough to engulf the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France and prompting authorities to order a nearby copper mine to shut down.
The hole, which appeared on July 30, is now 160 feet wide and 656 feet deep.
Seattle's Space Needle observatory would also fit comfortably in the shaft, as would six Christ the Redeemer statues from Brazil stacked head to head, giant arms outstretched.
The National Geology and Mining Service said on Saturday it was investigating the sinkhole near the Alcaparrosa mine, operated by Canadian company Lundin Mining, some 413 miles north of Santiago.
Images show the dimension of the hole relative to nearby houses and cars.Getty Images
In addition to ordering the stoppage of all work at the mine, the geological service said it has initiated a sanctioning process, although it did not detail what implications it could have.
Lundin Mining said last week that the hole does not affect workers or the community, and that it is working to determine its cause.
Lundin owns 80% ownership of the mine;
the rest is in the hands of Japan's Sumitomo Corporation.
Initially, the hole near the town of Tierra Amarilla was about 82 feet wide, with water visible at the bottom.
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The Geology and Mining Service has installed water extraction pumps in the mine and in the coming days will investigate the underground chambers of the mine to detect possible overextraction.
Local authorities have expressed concern that the Alcaparrosa mine may have flooded underground, destabilizing the surrounding terrain.
It would be "something completely out of the ordinary," Tierra Amarilla mayor Cristóbal Zúñiga told local media.