An enormous 100-foot sinkhole, described as a "gate to hell" by local media, has opened up near a popular ski resort in Russia.
The collapse occurred at a mine in Siberia that is reportedly owned by a sanctioned firm linked to former football club owner and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, as per the New York Post. There were no casualties reported as the area had already been evacuated by local authorities due to concerns over ground instability above the mine.
As per Newsweek, in a statement, the Tashtagol district administration said that roads and houses had not been damaged, but the main road approaching the area had been blocked and bus services suspended. Following the collapse, work at the Sheregeshsky mine in the Kuzbass industrial area has also been suspended and the district government said that it intends to fill the hole in future.
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As per the Post, the incident took place near the ski resort Sheregesh, which is one of the most popular in Russia and is famous for its annual swimsuit skiing competition.
Sinkholes can arise in a variety of ways, but they often occur when the ground under the land surface dissolves into groundwater and is washed away, leaving an open cavern covered only by a thin layer of Earth. Sinkholes may also be caused by human action, with groundwater pumping and construction activities altering the natural ground structure and water drainage patterns.
Meanwhile, in another similar incident earlier this year, a house party turned nightmare for guests after a sinkhole opened under the swimming pool and sucked a man down a hole 43 feet deep. There were six individuals in the pool at the time, and the others were unharmed. This incident took place in Israel.
