SWLNgodstone – By Imogen Howse
Locals have been evacuated and part of a high street has been closed after a huge sinkhole appeared in Surrey.
A cordon is in place on Godstone High Street and the road has been closed between Oxted Road and Bletchingley Road.
A small number of buildings have been evacuated and some homes are currently without water.
The sinkhole is estimated to be at least 19m (62ft) long and about 3m (10ft) wide, the BBC reports.
SES Water said in a statement at 12:50am on Tuesday that it was aware of a burst water main pipe on Godstone High Street.
In an update, a spokesperson said that repairs were still taking place – and confirmed that the burst had “impacted water supplies to homes in the area”.
A frustrated local said on social media: “I hope you are aiming to set up water stations very soon… This is a joke.
“We have vulnerable people in the community. The local shops are running out. WHERE IS OUR WATER?”
Meanwhile, another resident added: “All the local shops are out of water in the area.
“So we need some information about what’s going to happen with water supplies.”
In their most recent update, SES Water asked residents to avoid Godstone High Street – and confirmed that customers on their ‘Priority Service Register’ will be delivered bottled water.
A spokesperson said: “Customers within RH1 and RH9 are currently experiencing water supply issues, due to a burst main on Godstone High Street.
“We are working at pace with key partners including UK Power Networks, SGN, and emergency services to ensure we can safely repair the main as soon as possible.
“Road users should avoid travelling near Godstone High Street – a signed diversion route is in place. Customers on our Priority Service Register will be delivered bottled water by our teams this morning.
“Please continue to check our website for further updates. If you have an emergency, please call us on 01737 720000.”
MFL
