Heavy rains that caused flooding this week in Haverhill, Massachusetts this week opened up a massive sump that crews were still working to repair Saturday night.
The sinkhole near Washington and Ford streets, about 20 feet wide and 20 feet deep, was preventing people living in a nearby building from entering their homes. Workers were running Saturday night to plug the hole, with more rain forecast for the night.
“If the rain continues to wash the area away, the house has the potential to fall into the hole. Then it’s catastrophic…until we can secure the hole and fill it in with boards, gravel and stone,” Paul Jessel, Haverhill Collections System Supervisor . saying.
Residents did not know when they would be able to return home, and several told NBC10 Boston that they were concerned for safety.
Storms this week dumped 5 inches of rain and caused $1 million in damage to Haverhill’s sewer system, Mayor James Fiorentini said Friday as he declared a state of emergency.
The north coast was particularly affected by the storms, which also spawned two tornadoes.
