A car has been swallowed by a sinkhole in the city of Coventry, England. West Midlands Police were called to the site at about 4.00 am on Monday 24 July 2023, and have erected a cordon around the area while repairs are caried out. The owner of the car, student paramedic Agshaniya Ramesh has expressed shock at the incident, and does not believe the car to be recoverable.
Sinkholes are generally caused by water eroding soft limestone or unconsolidated deposits from beneath, causing a hole that works its way upwards and eventually opening spectacularly at the surface. Where there are unconsolidated deposits at the surface they can infill from the sides, apparently swallowing objects at the surface, including people, without trace.
On this occasion the sinkhole was found to have been caused by a burst water main beneath the street, which causes water to leak out, eroding soft sediments beneath the road and causing it to collapse. The water supplier, Severn Trent Water, are carrying out repairs and have apologised for the inconvenience caused.
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