Amazing Video From China Shows 5 People Falling Into Sinkhole At Bus Stop [Video]

A sinkhole in Harbin, China, opened up and took in five people, and it was all captured on video. The footage has since gone viral. Although none of the people were severely injured, the scene highlights the continuing need for safety as the country continues is massive economic expansion.

The incident took place on Saturday in the Chinese provincial capital of Harbin at an ordinary bus stop according to the AP.

As the video shows, three people plunge straight down. Another manages to hold on to a pipe beneath the sidewalk and another on the side of the hole holds out for a few seconds before falling in sideways.

The bystanders were likely waiting for a bus, according to a local newscaster.

Four of the five people had to be taken to a hospital for minor injuries to their arms, legs, feet, and shoulders.

Even though the scene was shocking, China has had far worse sinkholes.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, another hole managed to swallow an entire building. The scene was also captured on video, and luckily authorities found the problem and controlled the destruction.

Around 300 people had to be evacuated from around the area.

Another sinkhole swallowed up six people, but in that case most of the people never made it out alive. Rescue workers only managed to save one person from that 10-meter-wide hole in Schenzhen, China, just outside Hong Kong.

Authorities pointed to nearby construction as the cause of the sinkhole that took an entire building as well as the one in Schenzhen. If there’s any pattern, China might be in for more problems.

According to Bloomberg, China set aside an extra $1.1 trillion to accelerate 300 infrastructure projects around the country this year.

The acceleration plan is part of a broader three-year plan from 2014 to 2016. The main motivation behind the construction plan is to boost the Chinese economy, according to economist Julia Wang at HSBC Holdings in Hong Kong.

“It’s part of China’s efforts to stabilize growth, and the news will help to boost market confidence. Infrastructure investment will continue to be a major driver for China’s economic growth.”

Unfortunately for some people, as new construction gets rolled out, old infastructure becomes neglected or undermined, causing a few sinkholes along the way.

The sinkhole in Harbin was about three-meters deep. Passers-by gathered by the scene and eventually helped out the people who were stuck inside.

[Image Credit: Getty Images]