A 15-meter-wide sinkhole has recently opened up in a city in Mississippi and swallowed at least 15 vehicles, police said, adding that what caused the sinkhole is still unknown and is being investigated.
The sinkhole appeared in the parking lot of the new IHOP restaurant on Frontage Road in the city of Meridian. The customers at the restaurant told local WTOK-TV that they heard several booms that were quickly followed by the electricity loss.
A car teetering on the edge of the sinkhole. Pieces of pavement are still falling. pic.twitter.com/8FZSQNPjIZ
— Aaron Morrison (@Morrison_wx) November 8, 2015
At first the frightened customers thought that it was an earthquake, but when they went outside they saw their cars down in a 15-meter-wide, nearly 180-meter-long hole.
.@WJTV here is a better picture of the IHOP SINKHOLE pic.twitter.com/nX2KWVp5V9
— Ummm Guess (@I_be_Gabe) November 8, 2015
“We received a call earlier this evening of a sinkhole opening up at the new IHOP restaurant,” Meridian Fire Department Chief Battalion Wayne Cook said. “Upon arrival, we found multiple vehicles in the ditch. At this time, we are trying to stabilize this and keep everyone away.”
large sinkhole in the ihop parking lot in meridian. pic.twitter.com/tN5B3BoboR
— k. (@_JeneneSmith) November 8, 2015
It is not clear what exactly caused the incident, but the city has seen at least 3 inches (7 cm) of rain this weekend and about 10 inches (25 cm) in the recent two weeks.
Large sinkhole in Meridian has engulfed numerous cars at the newly built IHOP, no word on what caused it. pic.twitter.com/XSAeSA8Ihy
— Aaron Morrison (@Morrison_wx) November 8, 2015
“As far as the investigation side of it, that’s going to be everybody who is involved with this,” Cook added.
Here's another picture. pic.twitter.com/eDYVmxwcZg
— k. (@_JeneneSmith) November 8, 2015
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!