The Daily Sin reported this morning on an enormous sinkhole swallows a street and sends construction workers fleeing for their lives. Dramatic CCTV captured large cracks appearing in the tarmac before an entire pedestrian crossing disappears into the abyss in Shanghai, China.
Footage shows the huge sinkhole suddenly opening on a construction site, at a newly built junction in the city. The ground collapses and swallows up several large fence panels. Terrifying video shows another huge piece of tarmac breaking off. Construction workers can be seen running for their lives as equipment tumbles into the void below.
An entire mobile trailer drops into the hole, sending up a huge cloud of dust. Authorities said that there were no fatalities or injuries. On social media, rumours swirled that the sinkhole was caused by a leak at a nearby construction site. The ground collapse happened at the intersection of Li’an Road and Qixin Road. Underground work for a new subway line are in progress nearby.
But Shanghai is not the only city to be struck by such a dramatic incident. Earlier this month, an entire gas station was “swallowed” by a landslide in Egypt. CCTV footage showed the sudden ground collapse in Cairo that left a 15-metre deep crater. In the video, the road can be seen slowly sinking before eventually turning into a gaping cavity. At least two people were inside the gas station when the earth underneath caved in. Still haven't found 'em...
The recent news has shown how valuable one of these can be.
In America most urban sink holes are caused by failing infrastructure leading to leaking pipes washing away ground. In turd world countries many are caused by plain old crappy construction techniques and crappy material leading to premature failures of sewer and water mains. Either way it a mess. An expensive mess.
ReplyDeleteWhere there's ground-disturbing activity, there can be sinkholes. Limestone quarrying drained an artesian well and produced a sinkhole on the other side of the creek from me. Present owner, his parents, and his grandparents waited 75 years to make sure the land had settled before using that field again.
ReplyDelete