Massive Road Collapse in Kunming Swallows 15 Vehicles as Residents Evacuate

On Oct. 11, a large section of road suddenly collapsed in Kunming, the capital of southwestern China’s Yunnan Province, sending multiple vehicles tumbling into a pit and forcing nearby residents to evacuate.

Videos circulating online show the roadway sinking as the collapse rapidly expands. Trees along the edge tilt and disappear downward while chunks of pavement break away, causing parked vehicles to slide and roll into the sinkhole, which soon began filling with water. Authorities later said 15 vehicles were caught in the incident but that searches found no casualties.

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Road gives way as vehicles plunge

The collapse occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. along a road between Chejiabi and Yingpanshan in Kunming’s Xishan District, according to the county’s district transportation bureau.

Officials said 12 parked vehicles, which had no occupants inside, and three vehicles that were being driven became trapped when the road gave way. Traffic was cut off, nearby residents were moved to safe locations, and emergency crews began rescue and repair operations.

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Footage from the scene shows several cars overturned at the bottom of the collapse. In one video, a white sedan appears to tumble repeatedly as the edge of the roadway gives way beneath it.

Witnesses watching from nearby can be heard expressing concern that people may still be inside some of the vehicles. “There are people inside that car. There really are people inside that car,” one man can be heard saying in the footage. “More than a dozen [cars] have fallen in!”

Chinese outlet The Paper reported that local officials initially said two people had managed to get out and were frightened but apparently uninjured. A district official later said all trapped vehicles had been removed and reiterated that there were no casualties.

Residents evacuated as probe begins

The collapse occurred near the Xishan scenic area, and surrounding roads were closed as emergency crews secured the site.

A nearby resident told Chinese media that authorities had arranged hotel accommodation for residents displaced by the incident. The resident said the neighborhood had experienced landslides after heavy rain in previous years but had never seen the road collapse on this scale.

“We’ve lived here for more than 10 years, and this road has never collapsed before,” the resident said, adding, “There were landslides after rain in the past, but they weren’t serious. After they were cleared, the road reopened.”

The resident speculated that unusually heavy rainfall in Kunming this year may have contributed to the collapse, though authorities have not announced a cause. The Xishan District Transportation Bureau said rescue work, road repairs, and an investigation were continuing.

Netizens speak up

The dramatic footage prompted widespread discussion on Chinese social media, with some users questioning the official statement that no one had been injured. Posts claimed that screams could be heard in some videos or that people appeared to be inside vehicles as they fell.

The incident comes amid recurring concern over road and ground collapses in China, some of which have caused significant loss of life.

In May 2024, a section of the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Guangdong Province collapsed after prolonged rainfall and other contributing factors. An official investigation later found that 23 vehicles fell from the roadway, killing 52 people and injuring 30.

Investigators also identified shortcomings in construction management, maintenance, drainage risk assessment, and monitoring that affected the road’s resilience.