Crews probe Guatemala sinkhole as neighbours flee

A cavernous and almost perfectly round sinkhole swallowed an entire intersection in Guatemala City during a tropical storm, spooking people in the neighbourhood but exciting geologists.

The hole is 66 feet (20 metres) across and plunges nearly 100 feet (30 metres) deep.

Geologists said that the circular shape suggested a cave formation underneath, but what exactly caused the sinkhole was still a mystery. (AP Photo)

The sinkhole was formed on Saturday and gulped down a clothing factory about three miles (two kilometres) from the site of a similar sinkhole three years ago.

Neighbours said it was a miracle no factory workers died. (AP Photo)

Some neighbours believe one or two people might have disappeared, but authorities said no deaths had been reported.

Crews were waiting for blueprints of the city's drainage system before investigating further. (AP Photo)

The 2007 sinkhole killed three people and swallowed several homes in the same area. It was blamed on rain and an underground sewage flow, but it is too early to say whether those problems are to blame this time, said Monterroso, who also investigated the previous incident. (AFP Image)

A great number of fatalities were feared as rescuers reached villages cut off by floods and mudslides.

The World Bank said it was finalising with Guatemala an 85 million dollars loan to help it cope with the two disasters.

Guatemala City's response was hampered by a separate emergency: the eruption of a nearby volcano whose ash forced the closure of the capital's international airport since last week, when two people were also killed and three went missing.

Colom said the airport would reopen on Tuesday.

"First there was a rain of ash, and now it's water. It's one disaster after another," said one resident in the southern town of Palin, Julio Figueroa. (AFP Photo)

Volcanic ash which was cleared from a man's vehicle following a powerful eruption of the Pacaya volcano.(AFP Image)

Police and soldiers stood guard around the sinkhole to prevent the curious from getting too close. Most people living nearby have moved out, fearful the hole will expand and swallow more homes.(AFP Image)

Residents searched for recoverable items from the wreck. (AP Image)

Children were evacuated on a school bus from the town of Calderas, Guatemala .(AP Image)

Volcanic ash from the Pacaya Volcano blanketed houses and a church in Guatemala.(AP Image)

Villagers remained outisde their homes from fear of fresh outbursts of the Pacaya Volcano.(AFP Image)

Agatha was the season's first tropical storm which brought drenching rain, mudslides and floods.(AFP Image)

Residents were seen dumping mud removed from their houses after the Mico river overflowed due to heavy rains from Tropical Storm Agatha in Guatemala.(AP Image)

The damage caused by the Tropical storm , Agatha , is still being reviewed by the people.(AFP Image)

The giant sinkhole that opened up in Guatemala City, swallowed an intersection and a 3-story building.(AFP Image)