A heavy rainstorm in New York City on Monday was underscored by the emergence of a massive sinkhole swallowing up a van in one of the city’s five boroughs.
The 58-by-15-foot hole opened on the streets of Radcliff Avenue and Pierce Avenue around 4:15 p.m. on Monday as rain and heavy winds came down on the city, according to city officials. The sinkhole damaged a nearby water main, leaving several residents without water throughout the night. No injuries were reported.
SIX PEOPLE DEAD AFTER STORM CAUSES MONTANA HIGHWAY PILEUP
“The investigation into the root cause of the roadway collapse is ongoing,” said Edward Timbers, a spokesman with the city’s environmental protection department, according to the New York Times. “The weather certainly could have played a part of it.”
City workers began repairing the damage that ensued from the gaping hole on Tuesday morning, with the Department of Environmental Protection retrieving the van, according to the Associated Press. The owner was later able to drive the car away.
Workers began backfilling the hole as the department investigates the cause of the collapse, Timbers said. The repairs could take several weeks to complete.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Sinkholes are rare in New York City, though the increased number of rainstorms in the city over the past few years has begun to test its infrastructure. However, officials say the number of sinkholes that occur annually has actually decreased over the past several years.
Thunderstorms on Monday night caused disruptions throughout the city, with some areas in the Bronx recording 3.35 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The burst of rain precedes what experts believe will be a string of hot days, with the weather service issuing a heat advisory for southeast New York for Wednesday and Thursday.
