Police have evacuated more than a dozen houses after a giant sinkhole opened up in a residential street in Hemel Hempstead.
Hertfordshire Constabulary said people were moved out of 17 homes in and around Oatridge Gardens for safety, although it has "mainly affected" the road.
The chasm, which is approximately 35ft wide and 20ft deep, could have been caused by rainwater washing away soil underneath the tarmac.
Police are assessing the situation with Dacorum Borough Council, specialist structural engineers and utilities companies.
Meanwhile, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service are urging people to avoid the area.
The hole opened up after a night of gales and torrential rain from the latest Atlantic storm to hit Britain.
Two people died yesterday in the extreme conditions and thousands of homes are without power, while flooded communities continue to battle rising water levels.
Another sinkhole in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, swallowed a car earlier this month.
In pictures: Storms batter the UK
In pictures: Storms batter the UK
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1/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Huge waves break over the Newhaven Lighthouse on the south coast as another Altlantic storm hits Great Britain in Newhaven
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2/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
A miniature sandstorm whipped up unusually high winds blows across the breakwater next to the Perch Rock lighthouse in New Brighton
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3/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Storm waves crash over the Longships Lighthouse just off Lands End in Cornwall
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4/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Storm waves crash over cliffs at Sennen Cove near Lands End in Cornwall
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5/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
A woman watches the rough sea in Aberystwyth, west Wales
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6/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Storm waves break at Porthleven in Cornwall
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7/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Storm waves break at Porthleven in Cornwall
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8/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Newhaven Lighthouse is battered by waves during stormy weather in Newhaven on the southern coast of England
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9/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
A car sits on flood water on a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels
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10/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Flood water is seen pumped into the river at the pumping station near Fordgate on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater
Getty Images
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11/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Waves crash against the seafront and the railway line that has been closed due to storm damage at Dawlish, Devon
Getty Images
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12/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
A huge waves break over the railway in Dawlish, causing damage. High tides and strong winds have created havoc in the Devonshire town
PA
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13/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
A huge length of railway track is exposed and left hanging after the sea wall collapsed in Dawlish
PA
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14/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
People stand by beach huts that have been damaged by the storm waves at Dawlish
Getty Images
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15/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
A huge wave breaks behind a car, which sits in seawater on a flooded street by the sea wall railway in Dawlish
PA
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16/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Beach huts that have been damaged by the storm waves at Dawlish
Getty Images
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17/31 Storms continue to batter the UK
Spectators watch as waves break over the harbour wall at Porthcawl, Wales, during a high tide
Getty Images
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18/31 High tides, rain And strong winds in Wales
Waves crash up against the sea defences at Aberystwyth during high tide and high winds on 2 February
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19/31 Stormy waves in England
Stormy waves roll in to the shore and break along the seafront at Porthcawl
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20/31 High tide waves in Wales
High tide waves break along the seafront at Porthcawl in Mid Glamorgon, Wales
Getty Images
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21/31 Flooding in England
Flood water surrounds the Plough Inn besides the River Severn at Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire
Getty
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22/31 Flooded streets in Kent
A man looks on as a car passes on a flooded road in the village of Yalding in Kent
AFP
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23/31 Storm damage in Surrey
A fallen tree blocks a road in Epsom, Surrey
Getty
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24/31 Huge waves in Wales
Waves crash against the lighthouse wall in Porthcawl
EPA
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25/31 High tides in Scotland
A train passes along the coast at Saltcoats in Scotland, as a combination of high tides, heavy rains and strong winds are expected to bring yet more severe flooding to many parts of the country
PA
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26/31 Flooding in Wales
Holiday chalets at Carmarthen Bay Holiday Park are surrounded by flood water caused by high tides in Kidwelly, West Wales
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27/31
A car drives through flood water on the A361, which has been closed to traffic due to flooding, at Burrowbridge
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28/31
A car tackles flood waters near Headcorn, Kent
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29/31 River Wey floods
Flooding near the river Wey in Guildford, Surrey
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30/31 Blackpool flooding
Waves crash over Blackpool seafront
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31/31 Huge waves at Tyne and Wear
Surfers brave the waves at Tynemouth
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Phil Conran said he initially thought his stepdaughter's Volkswagen Lupo might have been stolen when he could not see it out the window, before realising it had disappeared into the ground.
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