This is the heart-stopping moment a driver narrowly escapes plunging into a massive sinkhole that suddenly appeared in the middle of the road.

Dashcam footage shows the car driving down a road in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, just before midnight on Sunday, December 1.

Suddenly, a giant sinkhole emerges in front of the driver, who narrowly avoids falling into it by slowing down.

The right front wheel of the car rolls over the edge of the pit, but the driver manages to steer to safety, pulling over just in time.

As the driver passes inches from the hole, a minivan, its front smashed in, comes into view. It had reportedly crashed into another vehicle while trying to avoid the sinkhole, injuring the 28-year-old driver.

The injured driver was rushed to the hospital and is now in stable condition.

The driver that escaped falling into the sinkhole said: 'This big sinkhole on Guanghua Road almost cost me my life, damn... I hope the van driver is okay.'

Authorities quickly sealed off the area, redirected traffic, and reinforced the site with concrete by 6 am.

An investigation is underway, with officials suggesting that the region's complex karst geology could be a contributing factor.

Geological scans are ongoing to ensure no further risks emerge.