QUEBEC CITY - Experts hope to have a better idea in a couple of weeks why sinkholes are collapsing the earth in a Quebec City neighbourhood.

About 40 of the holes ranging between six metres wide and about five metres deep have appeared in the last week.

It's prompted the city to order an evacuation for 15 homes and one business.

Soil experts are trying to figure out what's behind the mysterious collapses.

Officials say the field where the sinkholes began appearing used to be a sandpit.

They say several tests have been conducted on the soil and the results should be available in about two weeks.

City officials say they're being cautious in dealing with the sinkholes because of the potential for danger.

A family of four were killed in St-Jude, Quebec, about a year ago when their house was swept away by a landslide.