Shocking moment sinkhole swallows busy Shanghai road as construction workers run for their lives

The terrible moment when a hole opened on a busy street in Shanghai, China was caught on camera.

In the security camera footage that went viral on social media, cracks were seen on the road as observed by construction workers.

While the witnesses were running for their lives, a pit suddenly opened and swallowed the entire pedestrian crossing.

Accordingly Gulf NewsThe collapse occurred at the intersection of Qixin Road and Li’an Road in Shanghai’s Minhang District on the morning of February 12.

Miraculously, local officials confirmed there were no injuries or deaths. The area was cordoned off before work began to clear the debris.

It was reported that the collapse was caused by water leakage from nearby underground works on the new Jiamin Metro Line the previous day.

Contractors from the China Railway Tunnel Group were building the line when it hit groundwater around 10.30am local time on Wednesday, Gulf News reported.

Shanghai is reportedly at greater risk of sinkholes due to its soft alluvial soil, excessive groundwater extraction and outdated pipes, according to local media reports.

A similar incident occurred in September last year, when a huge sinkhole opened following underground construction work in Thailand.

Part of a road in Bangkok collapsed, leaving a large pothole that disrupted traffic, damaged infrastructure and prompted evacuations in the surrounding area.

While there was no loss of life in the accident, 3 vehicles were damaged.

Authorities believe this is due to the ongoing construction of an underground train station.

Videos of the moment show the road slowly collapsing, knocking down many power poles and damaging water pipes.

Cars tried to retreat as the hole grew and completely blocked the four-lane road.

One edge of the hole stopped right in front of a police station, revealing an underground structure.

The pit is thought to be approximately 50 meters deep.