A sinkhole in Midtown Atlanta swallowed an SUV recently, causing disruption to one of the city's busiest routes on Ponce de Leon Avenue. The SUV's occupants managed to escape without injuries.

Traffic partially resumed a day later, but temporary roadblocks are still in place as crews continue to work on the site, removing dirt and repairing the broken sewer pipe, which is believed to have caused the sinkhole.

Officials from the city's Department of Watershed Management attribute the incident to a breach in the sewer pipe 15 to 18 feet below the surface.

Lightning Strike Triggers Wastewater Release in Massachusetts

Around 3 million gallons of partially treated sewage were released into the Housatonic River following a lightning strike-induced electrical outage at the Pittsfield (Massachusetts) Wastewater Treatment Plant, city officials reported.

The Pittsfield Department of Public Utilities advised residents to avoid contact with the river for 48 hours due to increased health risks from bacteria and other pollutants. Despite the incident, city drinking water, sourced from reservoirs in Washington and Hinsdale, remains safe to use and drink.

Ricardo Morales, the city's Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities, reports that multiple alarms were triggered when power was restored, including one for the hypo disinfection process.

Firefighters’ Makeshift Device Rescues Kitten From Storm Drain

A kitten, small enough to fall through a storm drain grate, was saved by firefighters after being discovered by a man and his son during their afternoon walk in Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite being trapped 5 feet down the drain, the kitten's persistent meowing caught the attention of the passersby.

The pair approached a nearby fire station to report the situation, and firefighters created a makeshift device using rope and PVC pipe. After several unsuccessful attempts to loop the kitten, the rescuers finally managed to secure and lift the small feline to safety.