Shanghai: CCTV cameras recorded the exact moment a large sinkhole suddenly opened on a busy road in Shanghai, China, swallowing a huge section of the carriageway and damaging nearby structures. The scary footage shows the road surface caving in within moments, leaving behind a deep and wide crater. The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday.
The incident was reportedly triggered by a technical failure at a nearby subway construction site.
According to Experts, such incidents occur due to various reasons like, excessive groundwater extraction, thin sand layers beneath the surface, underground voids created by construction activity, and ageing infrastructure.
Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. It took place at the junction of Qixin Road and Li’an Road, an area currently undergoing significant underground works for the new Jiamin Metro Line.
In a similar incident in January 2024, a road in Shanghai’s Minhang District reportedly sank by about 10 metres following a sewage pipe failure. No casualties were reported in that case.
Data from 2017 to 2023 indicates that around 72% of sinkholes across China have been linked to human activity, including infrastructure faults and construction-related disturbances. The latest collapse highlights ongoing urban planning and safety challenges in rapidly expanding cities, particularly those built on geologically sensitive terrain.
