Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/66pr68x9se3am3u/VRP70113.mp4?dl=0
A large sinkhole swallowed vehicles in a car park in China following days of continuous rainfall caused the ground to collapse.
Footage shows a car falling into the pit in Hongdong County, Shanxi province on October 6. A damaged lamp post nearby had bent and smashed into parked cars.
Witnesss Ms. Guo said: ‘I saw that the parking lot had collapsed at around 9 in the morning. The pit was quite large. I’m not sure how many cars fell into it.’
Rainwater reportedly filled the large pit and started overflowing towards residents who were asked to evacuate the area.
Shanxi province has been experiencing constant rain in the past week. Landslides resulting in at least four deaths were also reported in other areas of the province, including the cities of Jinzhong and Luliang.
Local authorities said at least four people, all on-duty police officers, had died while several others were injured.
Tourist spots and coal mines in the area have also been shut down for safety.
The Shanxi local government, in accordance with its geological disaster emergency plan, has initiated a level 3 emergency response to address the situation.