Around 140 people were evacuated after a giant sinkhole swallowed up a car, caravan, camping trailer and some tents at a popular campground in Australia last night.
The 100-metre-long sinkhole opened up at MV Beagle Campground, north of Queensland's Rainbow Beach at Inskip point, at around 10:30pm, reports the Brisbane Times.
Police said initial estimates put the sinkhole at around three metres deep.
"Can't believe we made it out," wrote camper Melanie Wotherspoon on Facebook. "I thought we were goners for sure, was truly scary how fast it came into our camp site and swallowed it up."
The ABC reports campers were awoken by a woman running through the campground, telling them to evacuate. No one was injured or missing.
The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service today urged people to stay away from the sinkhole and said it was at risk of expanding as ocean currents moved in.
"There is a real possibility the hole could expand with ocean currents, so people are urged to avoid the area," said Senior Ranger Dan Clifton.
"Rangers and police have erected traffic barriers and warning signs to advise beachgoers of potential risks. While we continue to assess the situation, our priority is public safety.
"The MV Beagle campsite has been closed to new campers; however, there are six alternative campgrounds at Inskip that remain open."
A similar sinkhole opened at the same campground in 2011, with no injuries. A number of small earthquakes recorded off the coast in recent weeks may be linked to the incident.
The Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing are looking into the incident.
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