A stonking great sinkhole opened up on a road near a Catholic cathedral amid heavy rain in the Philippines.

A 20ft section of Legaspi Street in Cebu City crumbled, triggering road closures and traffic chaos as motorists searched for alternate routes on September 13.

Harold Alcontin, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said that based on initial investigations, the sinkhole was caused by the soil foundations being loosened by recent heavy rain.

He said: 'Because of the construction, the water had no way out so it converged in one area and seeped into the soil, causing it to soften which led to the collapse.'

The incident occurred in front of a construction site for the Patria de Cebu, a mixed-use residential, retail and mall complex owned by the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Cebu Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said in a statement that Dakay Construction, the contractor for the project, assured him that the affected section can be restored 'within two days.'

There were no injuries reported.

The Philippines and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.