An entire building complex was swallowed by a sinkhole near a subway construction site in the bustling southern Chinese city of Guangzhou on Monday, state media reported.

Chinese state television CCTV said that the first three-storey building collapse occurred at around 4:20 pm local time, cutting off power lines and water pipes from surrounding residents.

Around 300 residents from the surrounding area were evacuated and nearby roads closed off before the surrounding three buildings in the complex collapsed later that evening, CCTV added.

CCTV said that so far no one has been reported injured or killed in either collapse.

According to a local source, the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Accidents like these, especially subway construction-related incidents, are common in China, where a fast growing infrastructure often takes precedence over safety standards.

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