A small sinkhole opened up overnight in the bedroom of a home in Guatemala City. Measuring 32 inches wide and 40 feet deep, neighbors heard a sound reminiscent of a gas explosion or a car crash when the hole opened up under 65 year-old Inocenta Hernandez’ bed. Fortunately no one was injured.

A gentleman told me that the noise came from my house, and we searched until we found it under my bed,” said Hernandez. “Thank God there are only material damages, because my grandchildren were running around the house, into that room and out to the patio.”

Though sinkholes are common in areas built on rocks such as limestone and gypsum that can be dissolved by water, Guatemala City is prone to sinkholes for a different reason: The city is built on volcanic deposits which form steep canyons below the surface layer. In fact, it was just over a year ago when a 60 foot wide sinkhole swallowed up an entire building in another part of the city. See a clip of that hole below:

More From KLAW-FM