Gallery: Mineshaft collapse forms sinkhole near Ida-Viru County highway
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A motorcyclist spotted a sinkhole in a field near Jõhvi–Tartu Highway in Jõhvi Municipality on Tuesday morning, prompting rescue services to respond.
Rescuers cordoned off the Puru village site, near a railway crossing east of Jõhvi–Tartu Highway, where a 2.5-meter-wide sinkhole revealed a collapsed mineshaft.
The area has a history of old mineshafts collapsing. Ida-Viru County in Northeastern Estonia is home to several former and active mining sites.
Sinkholes must be reported to the Environmental Board.
Collapsed shafts are sealed using standard methods developed by the Environmental Investment Center (KIK), which plans to close off 100 shafts this year.
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Editor: Rene Kundla, Aili Vahtla
