Massive sinkhole devours part of busy Chinese street

Sunday, May 1, 2016, 10:38 AM - A massive sinkhole is never something you want to deal with when you're on a busy road. 

The one in the video above, in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, doesn't open up suddenly, but it's huge, clearly deep and would have caused serious damage to anyone who didn't swerve to avoid it.

We say "would have", because despite how bustling that road is, no vehicles or drivers were hurt when the sinkhole slowly began to open up, thanks to the timely action of a traffic warden identified by the Straits Times as Li Weiqi.

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Seriously, just look at him. It's clear there's a crisis brewing, but he keeps his cool, striding purposefully out there through traffic with some cones before the sinkhole really gets going, then directing traffic around the danger area, like it's just another day at the office.

The original footage has been widely shared online, and even featured on CNN, making Li a minor celebrity. The Times reports the Hangzhou city government "nominated Mr Li for a first-class public security award."

"I was just doing my job," the 40-year-old Li told the Times.

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