In an astonishing update, a massive sinkhole has opened in a canal in England’s Shropshire county, which has trapped two canal boats in deep mud, prompting emergency services to declare a “major incident.”
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said the sinkhole had formed following a breach in the Shropshire Union Canal near Whitchurch.
The terrifying incident occurred at 5:17 a.m. on Monday; however, that the situation is currently under control.
As per the images released by fire service show, two canal boats were swallowed by the major sinkhole that measures roughly 50 by 50 meters, while a third vessel tilts dangerously along the slope.
Canal boats are often narrowed and traditionally used to transport goods and now commonly serve as floating homes or recreational boats.
As per the authorities, no one was on board the affected boats and fortunately no injuries have been reported.
Notably, the rescue crew safely evacuated nearly 10 people of the public though further information remains under wraps.
Public has been urged to avoid the affected area while recovery and safety operations are underway.
The Canal and River Trust, the UK’s largest canal charity released a statement, which read, “initial investigations into the possible cause of the breach and will provide more details in due course.”
“Our teams are on site and have dammed off the affected section of (the) canal. The priority is the safety of boaters and those in the immediate area,” the statement added.
