Drivers in Glasgow have been warned to avoid a city centre after a road was closed after a sinkhole emerged yesterday morning.
North Fredrick Street, near George Square, remains closed to traffic by emergency services.
Pictures from the scene show a sinkhole in the middle of the road with the surrounding pavement also buckling and the area taped off by police.
READ MORE: Glasgow sinkhole opens up near George Square prompting closure of busy road
A Glasgow City Council roads inspector has detected running water under the road surface, and the local authority is now working with Scottish Water to establish the source of this and the cause of the fault on the road.
What is a sinkhole and where do they come from?
A sinkhole is a large hole that suddenly opens up in the ground when the land collapses away.
They are normally caused by erosion underneath the ground's surface as a result of poor drainage of water.
Sinkholes form when rainwater comes into contact with a certain type of soft rock - such as chalk or limestone - and dissolve it.
Eventually, the rock cannot support the surface any longer and it suddenly collapses, leaving a gap deep in the ground.
They can vary from tiny to huge - with some having even swallowed people's cars and homes.
Even though sinkholes are formed over a long period of time, it can be difficult to predict when they are going to suddenly appear on the surface.
What is going to happen to the sinkhole in Glasgow?
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “Our roads inspector has been at the scene of the fault and has detected running water under the road surface.
“We are now liaising with Scottish Water to establish the source of the running water and the cause of the fault on the road.
“We are treating this as a priority but North Frederick St remains closed at this time with one lane also closed to east bound traffic from George Square.
“Drivers are advised to find an alternative route at this time if possible.”
