Sinkhole in Chile doubles in size, threatens Arc de Triomphe

A sinkhole in Chile has doubled in size, growing large enough to engulf France's Arc de Triomphe and prompting officials to stop at a nearby copper mine.

The sinkhole, which emerged on July 30, now stretches 160 feet across and goes down 656 feet. Seattle s Space Needle would also comfortably fit in the black pit, as would six Christ the Redeemer statues from Brazil stacked head-to- head, giant arms outstretched.

The National Service of Geology and Mining said late on Saturday it is still investigating the gaping hole near the Alcaparrosa mine operated by Canadian company Lundin Mining, about 413 miles north of Santiago.

The geology and mining service said it was beginning a sanctioning process and ordered all work to stop. The agency didn't provide any details on what that action would involve.

Lundin didn't reply immediately to a request for comment. The hole did not affect workers or community members and was working to determine the cause, according to the company last week.

Lundin owns 80% of the property and the rest is held by Japan's Sumitomo Corporation.

The hole near the town of Tierra Amarilla measured about 82 feet across, with water visible at the bottom.

The geology and mining service said it has installed water extraction pumps at the mine and will investigate the mine's underground chambers for potential over-extraction in the next few days.

Local officials have expressed concern that the Alcaparrosa mine could have flooded below ground, destabilizing the surrounding land. Cristobal Zuniga, the mayor of Tierra Amarilla, told local media that it would be something completely out of the ordinary.