Sinkhole in Guatemala
*GUATEMALA CITY**, **Guatemala* - A 330-foot-deep sinkhole killed at least
two teenagers as it swallowed about a dozen homes early Friday and forced
the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people in a crowded Guatemala City
neighborhood. Officials blamed the sinkhole on recent rains and an
underground sewage flow from a ruptured main.
The pit emitted foul odors, 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.
Rescue operations were on hold until a firefighter, suspended from a cable,
could take video and photos above the hole and officials could use the
documentation to decide how to proceed.
The dead were identified as Irma and David Soyos, emergency spokesman Juan
Carlos Bolanos said. Their bodies were found near the sinkhole, floating in
a river of sewage.
Their father, Domingo, was still missing, according to disaster coordinator
Hugo Hernandez.