A man in his twenties was taken to hospital with neck and back pains after his car was partially swallowed on English Avenue in Indianapolis slightly before 8.00 am local time (slightly before noon, GMT) on Monday 9 September 2013. The sinkhole is believed to have been caused by a burst water main washing sediments away underneath the road. Local authorities have shut down the main, but this has left around 65 homes without water. The road has been closed while urgent repairs are carried out and is not expected to reopen before Tuesday morning.
Car partially engulfed by a sinkhole on English Avenue, Indianapolis, on Monday 9 September 2013. Wish TV.
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.
The approximate location of the 9 September 2013 Indianapolis sinkhole. Google Maps.
See also Car and occupants swallowed by sinkhole in Oklahoma City, Florida holiday villa collapses into sinkhole, Massive sinkhole opens up in Wallace County, Kansas, Six year old boy swallowed by Indiana sinkhole and Car and driver swallowed by Ohio sinkhole.
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