Japan: Repaired Fukuoka sinkhole sinks again

The street in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, pictured on the day the sinkhole appeared (left), and one week later after its restoration

A Japanese road in which a giant sinkhole was hastily repaired earlier this month has again shown signs of subsidence, officials say.

The repaired road in Fukuoka sank by about 7cm (2.7in) on Saturday over a 30-sq-m (322 sq-ft) area and was temporarily closed.

The chasm first appeared on 8 November in Fukuoka's business district.

Construction officials quoted by Jiji Press on Saturday said the latest subsidence was "within expectations".

They said it happened because "special soil" used to repair the sinkhole may have compressed soil underneath it as it hardened.

Policemen stood guard on the street in Fukuoka after it was temporarily closed over the weekend

The Japan Times said the road was only closed for a few hours on Saturday.

Workers moved fast to fill the first hole, which spanned a five-lane street, stretching 30m (98ft) wide and 15m deep.

The street was reopened within a week. City officials say the collapse was caused by underground construction nearby.

No one was hurt in either incident.