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Prosecutors have opened an investigation into a 10-metre-wide sinkhole that swallowed up six cars on a residential street in Rome.
No-one was injured in the collapse in the Balduina neighbourhood, but families in nearby buildings were evacuated on Wednesday as a precaution.
Local media reported that as of Thursday 22 families were still unable to return to their homes which had been rendered inaccessible by the giant chasm.
Videos from Italian firefighters show the scene shortly after the sinkhole collapse.
Pictures showed several vehicles lying, toppled at the bottom of the nine-metre-deep hole.
Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi visited the site and stressed that the sinkhole, which appeared to shave off the entire side of the road, occurred at an active construction site, and that the situation was under control.
Cause of sinkhole under investigation
The ANSA news agency said prosecutors had placed a property owner and the company handling construction along the road under investigation.
Prosecutor Nunzia D'Elia and assistant prosecutor Mario Dovinola are set to task two engineers and a geologist to establish the cause of the incident.
Sinkholes can form in one of three main ways — each involving the movement of water above or below the surface.
The ANSA news agency reported that works had been carried out in the same spot where the sinkhole appeared late last month after reports of significant water leaks.
Despite the warning, work at the construction site continued.
Wednesday's sinkhole followed a day of rain in the Italian capital, which even saw some snow on the Roman outskirts.
Its believed some of the world's largest sinkholes have been exacerbated by human activity.
AP/ABC
First posted