WATCH: I-93 Closed Due to Sinkhole

The New Hampshire State Police Department is warning commuters that traffic is being re-routed on the northbound side of the highway between Exits 13 and 14 of I-93 in Concord, according to an alert.

The sinkhole was discovered around noon on Aug. 19, 2015. Traffic is being diverted at Exit 13 off the highway until further notice. Commuters should find alternative routes.

The sinkhole is on the passing lane side of the highway parallel to the Capital Plaza shopping area. No cars appeared to have been damaged by the sinkhole.

As of 1:30 p.m., traffic on the northbound side of I-93 was backed up about four miles south of the Bow Junction with I-89. On the southbound side, traffic is backed up to Exit 17, according to reports from commuters.

At around 1:45 p.m., Gov. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, met with NH DOT workers to get an update on the situation. On her Facebook site, she noted that officials are working quickly to put a plan in place to re-open the highway.

The cause of the sinkhole is unknown at post time. However, workers were seen inside the city sewer system behind the Market Basket on Storrs Street and NH DOT workers were seen inspecting different sections of both the northbound and southbound sides of the highway. The area, according to comments online, was completely flooded after last night’s thunderstorm, with some Patch readers reporting that they were hydroplaning during and after the storm in that section of the highway. 

Concord NH Patch will update this post as more information becomes available.

Captions: A shot of the sinkhole on I-93 in Concord. A shot from the WHDH Helicopter. Credit: WHDH, 7-News. Plus, a photo submitted to Patch by reader John Prescott and one from the New Hampshire State Trooper Association Facebook site.