Huge sinkhole appears in Indonesia

A giant sinkhole has appeared in the south-east Asian country of Indonesia.

It's thought to measure approximately three hectares in total - that's around the size of four Premier League football pitches.

Authorities say that landslides and movement in the soil have caused the hole to get bigger in recent months.

It has destroyed a number of crops grown in the area, including chili plants and sugar cane.

A sinkhole is a hole in the ground formed when the land collapses away, leaving a big hole on the surface.

They usually happen when lots of rain falls and slowly dissolves the rock underground, washing it away.

Sinkholes are very rare occurrences and are more likely to occur in areas where there is a lot of soft rock - such as chalk or limestone - underground.

Locals say that the sinkhole grew quickly in size after the area suffered a lot of flooding at the end of last year.

Geological surveys have shown that underlying rock and sand have absorbed groundwater easily, making the slopes of the sinkhole prone to sudden collapse.

A safety barrier near the sinkhole has been set up to prevent residents from getting too close to its edge.

Experts have warned that the sinkhole may keep getting bigger unless water flow is controlled.