Huge 200m long, 20m deep sinkhole opens up on Rotorua farm

  • 01/05/2018
Colin Tremain next to the sinkhole.
Colin Tremain next to the sinkhole. Photo credit: Supplied

A massive sinkhole has opened up on a Rotorua farm following heavy rains over the weekend.

Located on a farm near Tumunui, 17 kilometres outside Rotorua, the sinkhole appears to be 200 metres long, 20 metres deep and 20-30 metres wide.

Sinkholes, also known as tomo, are caused by water dissolving limestone or other material below the surface of the earth.

Colin Tremain, a manager at the farm the sinkhole appeared on, told Newshub that Sunday's heavy rains left the ground covered in around half a metre of water and caused the hole to open up overnight.

It's not the only sinkhole in the area - there are nine others nearby, most of which having formed over the past two years.

It is however the biggest locals have ever seen on the farm and on Wednesday scientists from GNS will arrive to study the chasm.

Newshub.