A sinkhole that swallowed cars when it ruptured in a Port Melbourne street has been made bigger so workers could fix a burst water main.
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Pressurised water from the burst 375-millimetre pipe surged through properties on Liardet Street early on Tuesday morning, forcing dozens of homes to be evacuated.
State Emergency Service volunteers sandbagged properties and removed furniture from homes, three of which were damaged by ankle-deep water.
The flood caused a sinkhole eight metres by 11 metres to open up on the street which engulfed three cars.
The hole has been enlarged to 18 metres by 11 metres as South East Water crews repaired the burst section of pipe.
"As repair works progressed, it was necessary to renew a section of the water main directly next to the location of the burst, which required the water main and neighbouring large drainage culverts to be exposed further," a South East Water spokeswoman said .
"The water main is now repaired and crews are slowly recharging water through the pipeline."
The spokeswoman said the hole would be backfilled and the section of road was expected to temporarily reopen before Christmas.
"We are working closely with the council to co-ordinate a permanent reinstatement in the early new year," she said.