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Massive Shanghai Sinkhole Opens During Metro Construction, No Injuries Reported

Officials cite suspected water seepage during metro construction pending a full investigation.

Overview

  • The collapse occurred at the Qixin Road–Li’an Road intersection in Minhang during excavation for the Jiamin metro line and was captured on security video as workers fled.
  • Municipal crews sealed off the area, launched geotechnical inspections, evacuated nearby offices and apartments, and began pouring concrete to stabilize the ground.
  • Initial official information points to localized seepage weakening the subsurface, with the exact cause and any responsibility still under review.
  • Shanghai’s soft alluvial soils and intensive underground works heighten subsidence risks, and local statistics attribute 72% of 2017–2023 sinkholes to human activity.
  • Work is underway to restore circulation after safety checks, and authorities note a similar Minhang collapse in January 2024 tied to a drainage pipe failure.