Residents in a village in England were forced to evacuate due to a significant sinkhole that emerged, impacting sections of the town’s main street and approaching homes.

On Tuesday, authorities from Surrey County recognized the situation as a critical incident after the sinkhole developed on Godstone High Street, located approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the south of London.

Evacuations were enacted for around 30 structures in the vicinity out of concern that the ground collapse might damage gas lines, potentially leading to dangerous explosions. Additionally, a water main was compromised beneath the road, resulting in a loss of water supply for local residents.

“This is truly an absolute nightmare. It’s dreadful,” expressed Tracey Jones, a resident who saw her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter evacuated due to the emergency.

SES Water reported that efforts were underway to partially restore water service to affected residents on Wednesday.