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© Ward Perrin, PNGTraffic was disrupted as crews repaired a large hole at Seymour and Robson streets in downtown Vancouver.
The City of Vancouver says it has no explanation for a large hole which developed early Friday at the busy intersection of Seymour and Robson Streets.

"We don't know what caused it," said city spokeswoman Wendy Stewart. "The ground was dry. There was no water and no suggestion it was from a broken pipe."

She said dry, summer weather is not the type of conditions in which sinkholes usually form.

"Sometimes dirt will erode and a pothole will be created," she said. "Sinkholes are more common when winter turns to spring and water comes down from the hills."

A gap in the pavement appeared overnight and grew to the size of a trench about one metre wide, four metres long and up to a metre deep.

"There was no danger to the public," said Stewart.

The crews were putting the finishing touches on repairs Friday afternoon and reopening the lanes to traffic.

Stewart said a micro-camera will be used next week to investigate where all the dirt went.