Gate to the Underworld

Sometimes fact is more startling than fiction. For instance, take this 330-foot-deep hole in the middle of a city that emits grumbling noises from its depths, and shakes — causing the surrounding area to vibrate with tremors.

This happened in Guatemala City. This 330-foot-deep sinkhole killed at least two teenagers as it swallowed about a dozen homes and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people in a crowded Guatemala City neighborhood. Officials blamed the sinkhole on recent rains and an underground sewage flow from a ruptured main.

Rescue operations were on hold until a firefighter, suspended from a cable, could take video and photos above the hole and officials could use the documentation to decide how to proceed.