Pair of sinkholes shut down highway

The two holes are in close proximity to each other near a major highway Credit: APTN

A pair of sinkholes which opened up side by side have forced the closure of part of a busy highway after starting to merge together and swallowing up a huge chunk of road.

According to officials the newest of the two Oregon sinkholes, which has a depth exceeding 60 feet, appeared on Thursday as repairmen tried to stabilize the ground around an existing sinkhole.

Jared Castle, a Department of Transportation spokesman, told NBC News: "It's massive. There's just no other way to describe it."

Officials say it could take weeks to repair the road Credit: APTN

The holes which are just off Oregon's Highway 101 did not swallow any vehicles or cause any injuries but businesses near to them, including a local diner have been forced to close while repair work is carried out.