EARTH OPENS UP, SWALLOWS LORRY CARRYING FATHER AND NEWLY WEDDED SON IN GUANGZHOU

Three people including a father and a son are missing after a giant ground opening swallowed a street sweeper and an electric bike before filling with water.

CCTV footage from captured the moment a sanitation lorry carrying a driver, 51, and his son, 26, disappeared into the ground in Guangzhou, southeast China.

Witnesses are screaming as they walk around the big opening when more ground collapses, making it increases in a size of 100 feet across.

Municipal officials say the freak accident happened at the junction of Guangzhou Avenue and Yodong West Road at around 9.30am local time on December 1.

The 26-year-old victim is reportedly a newlywed with a one-month-old baby.

His wife, Ms Yu, told Beijing Daily that her husband had replaced her job while she was pregnant.

“I used to go with my father-in-law when he was out for the job,” Ms Yu said.

“I asked about the rescue progress and was told that the workers will start filling the collapsed area to stop it from expanding.”

The search was still ongoing for the lorry occupants, as well as a third victim who was on an electric bike, more than 24 hours after the incident took place.

Under-construction Line 11 of the Guangzhou Metro runs underneath the thoroughfare, with the tunnel beneath the road made for what is to be Shahe Station.

The initial collapse, which was followed by at least two secondary cave-ins, is thought to be linked to the ongoing underground work.

Search and rescue efforts were made difficult by the exposed water main seen in images of the sinkhole, which quickly filled with muddy water in the minutes after the accident.

The victims are believed to have been buried in mud and possibly carried underground.

The local water supply has since been shut off and all nearby shops evacuated on government orders, reports said.

As rescue efforts continue with some 1,000 personnel, officials say no builders were harmed.

The incident did not affect currently operational underground train lines, they added.