A sinkhole opened under a residential home in northern Lithuania’s Pasvalys district late Wednesday night and continued to grow overnight, causing the collapse of one of the house’s walls by Thursday morning, according to local officials and residents.
Firefighters cordoned off the area Wednesday after cracks in the structure were discovered and the building’s foundation was deemed unstable. Authorities prohibited residents from returning to the property due to safety concerns.
The homeowners, Ovidijus and his wife, are now staying in temporary housing provided by the Pasvalys District Municipality.
“This is the fourth time it’s caved in,” said Ovidijus, standing near the expanding sinkhole. “These holes are about a metre wide and one and a half metres deep. About four years ago, cracks appeared in the basement. The house was insured, but when the insurance company sent a representative, they said it was a construction error.”
The insurance provider declined to compensate for the damage at that time.
Geological surveys have previously been conducted in the neighbourhood, revealing underground cavities beneath the surface, an indicator of potential future sinkholes.
Although the surface only showed signs of significant sagging on Wednesday, by Thursday it became clear that the subsurface collapse had progressed, effectively pulling part of the home into the widening chasm.
Sinkholes are a recurring issue in the Pasvalys and Biržai districts, with new ones forming annually. Experts say excessive rainfall may be contributing to the problem. In May alone, northern Lithuania experienced more than twice the average monthly rainfall.
“When rain or snowmelt seeps into the ground, it dissolves gypsum, creating underground voids,” explained Inga Tručinskienė, a specialist with the Biržai Regional Park. “Eventually, these voids can no longer support the weight above and collapse.”
In protected areas such as the Biržai Regional Park, sinkholes are preserved as natural landscape features. Outside of those areas, however, local residents are permitted to fill them in.
As the ground continues to shift beneath the affected Pasvalys home, authorities are monitoring the situation closely and advising nearby residents to remain alert for signs of further land movement.
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