GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala - A 330-foot-deep hole suddenly materialised swallowing about a dozen homes and forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people in a crowded Guatemala City neighbourhood. The pit emitted foul odours, loud noises and tremors, shaking the surrounding ground. A rush of water could be heard from its depths, and authorities feared it could widen or others could open up. Officials blamed the sinkhole on recent rains and an underground sewage flow from a ruptured main.

Rescue operations were on hold until a fire-fighter, suspended from a cable, could take video and photos above the hole and officials could use the documentation to decide how to proceed.