New York City Came Into a Standstill as Sinkholes Swallow Van, Halt Transportation Following Torrential Rain

A sinkhole appeared in a New York City neighborhood in the Bronx area earlier this week, swallowing a whole van and causing disruption to transportation and utility services in the area.

The large hole in Morrison Park came after severe weather brought torrential rain with thunder and lightning in the Northeast's Interstate 95 corridor, including the Big Apple and New Jersey, on Monday, July 18.

Local authorities are investigating if whether or not the sinkhole was caused by the severe thunderstorm, according to reports.

Although the incident is highly linked to the recent downpour, initial assessment by the authorities suggested that weather was not a factor.

Over the past year, another sinkhole emerged in the same New York area, as reportedly claimed by residents.

Previous research suggested weather and climate are linked to the occurrence of sinkholes due to the ground-altering effects of changing temperatures.

Related incidents in the past show that drenching storms and even drought could weaken the foundation of a ground, leading to damage and open cracks.

In such context, climate experts predict that the ongoing climate crisis can lead to more sinkholes in the future.

This circumstance could pose greater disruptive risks in urban and heavily populated metropolitan areas, where road traffic movement is prevalent.

NYC Sinkhole

Four inches of rain fell across northern New Jersey and New York City on Monday afternoon and evening.

The sinkhole occurred after powerful thunderstorms struck the middle leg of the I-95 corridor, resulting in chaotic scenes on the city and suburban streets, according to AccuWeather.

In New York City, flash flooding also became a challenge in and around the metro area.

One of these dramatic incidents included the said sinkhole and the unfortunate van, whose owner Antonio Papadoboulos owned it for 15 years.

The van owner reportedly seemed unfazed when asked about his sentiments as his vehicle plunged into the underground, saying he was "happy" about it and will just buy a new one,

Repair Works

While Papadoboulos' outlook is positive, people who live the in the Morrison Park area are not thrilled of the such incident since repair work could be extensive, according to NBC New York.

One of the immediate repercussions of the sink holes was the lost of water service for 75 customers in the area.

In addition, the US media agency cites Morris Park residents fear it could happen again; since some of them said a different sinkhole opened up in the area a year.

NBC New York also reported that a resident passerby acknowledges such incidents had happened several times before.

Sinkhole Causes

While sinkholes have been attributed to high or low temperatures, as well as inclement weather, there are other reported factors that lead to the unusual phenomenon.

According to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "sinkholes are all about water" since liquid dissolves minerals found in rocks.

This is made possible as water leaves residue and open spaces within the rock in a process called weathering.