Authorities in Pennsylvania are searching for a woman who vanished Monday evening, and is believed to have fallen into a 30-foot sinkhole.
Elizabeth Pollard, 64, was last seen around 5 p.m. Monday in Unity Township with her 5-year-old granddaughter, while searching for her cat, Pepper, WTAE reported.
Pollard's granddaughter was discovered safe in a parked vehicle outside a local restaurant Tuesday morning, with what Pennsylvania State Police described as a newly-formed sinkhole roughly 20 feet away, as reported by KDKA.
Rescue efforts involved more than 100 people, including police, firefighters, EMS personnel and construction crews. Heavy equipment and a vacuum truck were used to clear debris, while drones and ground teams ruled out other search areas.
"This gives the township and EMS the ability to acquire necessary equipment quickly," Mike O'Barto, chairman of the Unity Township Board of Supervisors, told reporters.
Pleasant Unity Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Bacha, told WTAE that the area is known for historical coal mines, raising concerns about mine subsidence.
The search will continue through the night if necessary, with authorities expressing hope for a successful outcome.
"Let's be honest," Trooper Steve Limani told WTAE. "We need a little bit of luck on our side. We need a little bit of God's good blessing on our side. We need some of those things on our side to be successful."
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