Folkestone, Kent – May 9, 2025 | 6:47 PM BST
In a terrifying and unprecedented geological event, a massive sinkhole measuring over 100 meters wide suddenly opened along Folkestone’s scenic cliffside early this morning — swallowing five homes, a section of the Lower Sandgate Road, and a portion of the popular coastal walking path.
Emergency services rushed to the scene at 3:42 AM following reports of a deafening rumble that “shook the earth like a bomb,” according to local residents.
No casualties have been confirmed yet, but several families are unaccounted for as search and rescue teams comb through the debris.
“This is not a one-off incident,” warns top geologist
Dr. Evelyn Croft, a geological disaster expert from the University of Exeter, declared at a press briefing, “This cliff collapse is the early symptom of a much larger geological destabilization beneath Folkestone’s coast — one that’s been ignored for decades.”
She added chillingly:
“There are deep, shifting voids beneath the town. If we don’t act immediately, half of Folkestone could be gone within the next ten years.”
Government Accused of Cover-Up
Leaked documents obtained by an anonymous whistleblower suggest that the Kent County Council was warned in 2018about increasing subsidence risks due to illegal groundwater extraction and climate-driven erosion — but took no public action.
Environmental activist group Guard Folkestone is now calling for a full inquiry, accusing local authorities of “criminal negligence” and “sacrificing public safety for coastal tourism revenue.”
Fear Grips the Community
Panic has begun spreading across the town. Residents in clifftop areas are evacuating voluntarily, and property sales in affected zones have been frozen. Parents are pulling children out of nearby schools.
“We’ve been living on borrowed time, and they knew it,” said Emma Hastings, a resident of Wear Bay Road. “Now we’re left to wonder if our homes are next.”