South Wales sinkhole grows as locals moved to safety

A large sinkhole that appeared in south Wales over the weekend is still growing, according to officials.

Residents from more than 30 homes in Merthyr Tydfil have been moved to safety but there are worries that they might not be able to get home before Christmas.

According to the local council leader "more cracks are coming across the road and into walls and gardens".

The hole is thought to have been linked to recent heavy rainfall in the area and at the moment stands at around nine to twelve metres deep and five metres wide.

What's happened?

The hole first appeared over the weekend and was initially much smaller in size - around 30cm wide.

It's thought that recent heavy rainfall the area, caused by Storm Bert, brought about two landslides and led to the collapse of a culvert - a structure that allows water to flow under roads and railways.

As a result of that collapse, the sinkhole appeared.

The pit has continued to grow, with further cracks appearing in the road surface, according to the local officials.

Brent Carter, leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, explained: "It seems to be getting bigger, there's more cracks coming across the road and into walls and gardens."

While Mr Carter said he hoped residents would be back in their homes by Christmas, he said he could not predict how long it would take for repair works to be completed.

What is a sinkhole?

This huge sinkhole appeared in Mexico in 2021

Sinkholes are quite rare and form when ground collapses, leaving a big hole.

It often happens when soft rock underneath the surface loses strength, often because it's been dissolved by water.

Sinkholes can vary in size from big, enormous or small holes.

Areas on top of limestone or chalk are more at risk of a sinkhole happening as rainwater is able to dissolve soft rock like this.

The land on the surface then collapses into this gap.

This is why they are common in places like Florida in America, as the entire state is built on a limestone platform.

But generally, they are less common in places such as the UK.

This sinkhole in China contains its own ecosystem - an ancient forest

Usually sinkholes are formed over a long time, but it can be difficult to guess where and when they might happen.

However some can be man-made and happen because of things such as a burst water pipe.

Some sinkholes have even been found to contain some surprises.

In 2022, scientists discovered a 630-feet-deep sinkhole which contained an ancient forest in southern China.