40ft deep sinkhole opens up in Oklahoma... and it's still growing

A massive sinkhole big enough to swallow a house opened up in Oklahoma overnight.

The 40ft-deep hole, which is still growing, appeared near Sayre in Beckham Country just two days after a minor earthquake hit the area.

Farmers in the fields near the hole have been forced to call off work because chunks of rock and soil continue to fall into the 40ft-wide crevasse.
Opening in the market: The huge sinkhole in Beckham County near Sayre, Oklahoma, which residents say appeared overnight

Opening in the market: The huge sinkhole in Beckham County near Sayre, Oklahoma, which residents say appeared overnight

Warning: The hole is estimated to be so big a small house could fit in it - and a sign has been quickly advising locals of the danger

Warning: The hole is estimated to be so big a small house could fit in it - and a sign has been quickly advising locals of the danger

Jack Damron, who has been farming the area for nearly 20 years, told kfor.com: 'We've got to let it finish settling, because we don't know how deep it's going to get. It's still growing.

'When it first formed you could actually site here for 30 minutes and see stuff just move.'

Mr Damron said he has regularly driven his tractors over the spot where the hole opened up and dreads the thought of what could have happened.

He added: 'Kind of spooky. You don't want to mess with it today.

'You can see the tractor went right over it. It would have swallowed the tractor.'

Sinkholes are relatively common in western Oklahoma.

Geologists at the Oklahoma Geological Survey said it may have been triggered by salt or rock formations dissolving, or a drought.

They also said coal mines that had been drained of water may also collapse. DailyMail