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Two cars swallowed by 20-foot sinkhole in Los Angeles

By Daniel Uria
Firefighters in Los Angeles rescued a woman after two vehicles fell into a 20-foot sinkhole on Friday night. The sinkhole opened in the midst of a powerful rainstorm in the area and firefighters planned to remove the vehicles in daylight on Saturday. 
 Photo by Los Angeles Fire Department/Facebook
Firefighters in Los Angeles rescued a woman after two vehicles fell into a 20-foot sinkhole on Friday night. The sinkhole opened in the midst of a powerful rainstorm in the area and firefighters planned to remove the vehicles in daylight on Saturday. Photo by Los Angeles Fire Department/Facebook

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Two cars fell into a 20-foot sinkhole filled with rushing water in California as the state was pounded by a powerful rainstorm.

The Los Angeles Fire Department shared photos of the two vehicles inside the sinkhole in Studio City after rescuing a 48-year-old woman who was stranded on top of her car inside the hole Friday night.

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"Firefighters arrived on-scene to find one car upside-down in a large dark sinkhole full of rushing water," Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott said. "The single occupant was standing on the upside down car, approximately 10 feet below street level."

A 20-foot ladder was extended into the sinkhole as the woman climbed out of the hole and was transported to a local hospital in fair condition.

She said she felt the car pitch left and began to fall into the hole while driving when her airbags deployed and water began to spill into the car.

The woman was unable to roll up the windows and was forced to exit the vehicle through the door.

"She was able to open the door and climb on top of the car and started screaming for help," Scott said. "She said, she thought she was going to die. Then she heard the firefighters yell back to her."

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The driver of the second car was managed to get free without injury, as the pavement gave way and consumed the vehicle.

Scott said firefighters anticipate the vehicle will be removed from the hole in the daylight on Saturday.

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