A school bus became stuck in a pothole, leaving more than 20 students briefly trapped inside the vehicle.

The bus was manoeuvring along the road when one of its wheels fell into the hole approximately 3.3 ft (1 metre) in the middle of the motorway in Penang, Malaysia, on October 16.

The cavity was reportedly filled with water and emitted a foul smell.

Local media reported that all students were able to exit the bus safely and were unharmed in the incident. They were then transported to school on another bus arranged by the driver.

The bus operator said that he attempted to drive out of the sinkhole but was unsuccessful, which caused the hole to widen.

The vehicle was eventually towed from the pothole by a truck.

The Public Works Department reportedly arrived at the scene to conduct an inspection, speculating that the sinkhole was likely caused by a burst underground water pipe.

They concluded that the prolonged leak eroded the soil, causing it to soften and collapse under the weight of the bus.