Two cars plunged headfirst into a sinkhole after part of a road gave way in heavy rain in a city in northeastern China on the weekend.

The three people in the cars emerged unscathed from the 8 square metre (86 square foot) hole in the road in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, news portal My399.com reported on Saturday.

The vehicles plunged into the hole one after the other.

The driver of the second car said he did not realise there was a hole until he felt the front of his car dip. He hit the brakes but it was too late, according to the report.

It was then that he noticed another car was already in the pit.