A Sinkhole Gobbles Up Cars And Caravan In Australia

200 metres of beachfront in Queensland on Sunday is been eaten away by a terrifying sinkhole. No one was harmed in the freak event, but a car, caravan, camper trailer and tents have all been lost to the abyss.

The sinkhole, located at Inskip Point near Fraser Island in Queensland, is said to be three-metres deep and still unstable. At least 300 people have been evacuated from the area.

A sinkhole is a geological feature that develops when types of rock like limestone are dissolved by water and collapse, according to ABC Science. Weather events such as significant rainfall, drought and human intervention can cause sinkholes to develop.

The moment the ground started opening up beneath sleeping campers at Inskip Point. See exclusive video 7 News at 6pm pic.twitter.com/A2kQKz8bTk

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) September 27, 2015

Geological engineers have started conducting preliminary investigations, using ground-penetrating radar technology to assess the impact underground. Experts are warning the sinkhole could grow even further, as researchers call for a warning system to be put in place to prevent a fatal incident occurring.

The site is a popular tourist destination and witnesses have recounted the moment the land opened up and swallowed everything whole. “It sounded like a thunder noise,” tourist Casey Hughes told ABC News. “People were basically on the edge of it with their van, trying to madly get their vans out,” camper Sylvia Murray said.