A MASSIVE SINKHOLE has opened up on a busy road in the heart of Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, forcing the evacuation of a hotel, convention centre and major shopping centre.

No injuries were reported but a parked van and a lamp post were swallowed up as the hole quickly grew in size on Wednesday, stretching the width of the four-lane road.

One passer-by posted a brief video on Twitter of a car falling into the sinkhole.

Authorities pointed to a watermain break as the likely cause, but construction of a subway line in the area was also suspected.

“No city wants to see this kind of a sinkhole, but I can tell you that if you looked back in the last year there’s probably a major sink hole in every city at least once a week somewhere in North America or around the world,” Mayor Jim Watson told a press conference.

The hole, at a busy intersection only two blocks from parliament, was expected to disrupt traffic and bus services for weeks or months. It may also affect a North American leaders summit at the end of June.

- © AFP, 2016

Read: Body of British backpacker found six days after he called his girlfriend saying he injured himself

Read: A car fell down a massive sinkhole in London this morning