Authorities persisted in search and rescue efforts Wednesday for a woman believed to have fallen into a sinkhole in Unity Township, Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Pollard, 64, was last seen at around 5 p.m. Monday looking for her cat, Pepper. She was reported missing early Tuesday morning.

Pennsylvania State Police believe she fell into a sinkhole, which developed over an abandoned mine around the time she began searching for Pepper.

“The sinkhole, it appears that it was most likely created during the time while, unfortunately, Miss Pollard was walking around. There is no evidence of any time where that hole would have been here prior to her deciding to walk around looking for her cat,” Trooper Steve Limani said, according to WTAE-TV.

Ms. Pollard’s car, with her 5-year-old granddaughter inside, was found Tuesday behind a restaurant near the sinkhole, CNN reported.

The state police and other first responders are not sending in human rescuers, using devices and dogs instead. Attempts to use water to push through the mine before sucking the water out were halted because the attempts threatened the structural integrity of the mine.

“We’re still working on some cameras, some electronic devices, some canines, for various reasons, to go through and trying to locate Ms. Pollard. At this point, the scope of the situation and the condition of the mines, it’s beyond sending rescuers in,” Pleasant Unity Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Bacha told reporters.

There is hope that Ms. Pollard is alive somewhere below ground, with temperatures warmer than above at 55 degrees and with oxygen still available, according to CNN. A modern shoe has also been spotted by cameras sent into the sinkhole.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.