An enormous sinkhole suddenly opened up on a road in Sicily, Italy, swallowing a parked car. The driver miraculously escaped harm, having left the vehicle seconds before it sank underground.

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The eight-meter-wide hole opened up on a road in the town of Valverde, Catania province on Wednesday. It was most probably caused by days of heavy rains drenching the island. Luckily the female driver had enough time to park the vehicle and take several steps away from it before the car disappeared into the hole.

The car was pulled out by a team of firefighters using a crane.

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Heavy rains and violent storms have recently swept Catania, making the roads in the province almost impassable. Local media reports spoke of flooded schools, shops, garages and even hospitals.