Extraordinary CCTV video has emerged of the moment a girl fell through the pavement into a sinkhole in Xi’an, Northern China.
The incredible footage then shows the scene as a passing taxi driver follows the girl down the hole in order to help rescue her.
Wang Wei described how he held on to an underground cable and comforted the girl who “couldn’t stop crying”, until authorities were able to lower a ladder and help both of them out of the hole.
Underground water had created the cavity, which gave way the moment teenager stepped on the paving slab.
The ground continued to shift while Wei and the girl were underground, making it impossible for them to climb out without assistance. Amatuer footage shows the pair as they emerge unscathed from their ordeal.