England’s Surrey sinkhole grows bigger: Swallows road and forces residents to flee

A large sinkhole has appeared on Godstone High Street, Surrey, UK, prompting Surrey County Council to declare a major incident.

The sinkhole emerged late on February 17 and had expanded to at least 65 feet (20 metres) by the following day. As a result, water supplies were cut off, and a garden was swallowed up.

Second sinkhole appears

A second opening has now emerged, swallowing a large section of the street. A car is precariously perched on the edge, close to falling in.


A cordon is now in place on Godstone High Street, and the road is closed between Oxted Road and Bletchingley Road.

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Residents evacuated

Villagers in Surrey have been evacuated due to fears of an explosion from exposed cables following the appearance of the sinkhole.

A resident described the street as “sounding like a waterfall,” according to a BBC report.

The evacuated properties were built around three years ago on the site of an old sand quarry. Local residents also believe there are caves beneath the area.

Sounded like a waterfall

A BBC report highlighted the experience of Noosh Miri and her family. Miri recalled hearing violent knocking on the door. When she opened it, the sound of the sinkhole, which had opened right in front of her doorstep, made it feel like she was standing near a waterfall.

A police officer informed them that they needed to leave immediately. Within 10 minutes, they dressed their children and grabbed whatever they could.

The family has been provided with temporary accommodation by their insurers. However, Miri mentioned that she expected to wait "a good couple of months" before being able to return home.

Investigation and management

The operation is now being managed by the Surrey Local Resilience Forum, with Surrey County Council (SCC) taking the lead.

Investigations are ongoing to ensure the area is safe and to restore utilities, according to SCC.

Carl Bussey, the council's assistant director for safer communities, stated that residents within the cordon — around 30 properties — are being supported by Tandridge District Council with accommodation advice.

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Water supply and repairs

On Wednesday morning, SES Water announced that it had restored water supplies to affected properties, although it cautioned that the water may appear discoloured.

The company reassured customers that there was no health risk and confirmed that they would receive compensation through their bills.

However, repairs are expected to take several months to complete.

FAQs

1. Where is Godstone High Street, Surrey?
Godstone High Street is located in the village of Godstone, in the county of Surrey, England.


2. Why have sinkholes appeared on a high street in Surrey?
The sinkholes on Godstone High Street likely formed due to the collapse of underground structures, possibly linked to the area's history as a former sand quarry. Local residents believe there are caves under the street, which may have also contributed to the sinkhole formation.