A large sinkhole which has led to the closure of a road is linked to the collapse of a long-abandoned mine shaft.
Cork County Council has urged members of the public to stay away from the area on the road south of Allihies village on the Beara Peninsula.
Allihies was well-known in the 19th century for its mining industry.
The local authority said it was assessing the situation and has appealed for local people to stay away from the area involved over safety concerns, adding: “The road has been closed to the public and newspaper ads notifying the public about this emergency closure will be published.
“It appears the sinkhole is linked to the collapse of a mine shaft in Cahermeeleboe, Allihies.”
Meanwhile, the Department of the Environment’s Exploration and Mining Division is to undertake a survey to assess the potential risk of further collapses.
