Villagers were evacuated after a ground cave-in that left two buildings collapsed and several others tilted in south China's Guangdong Province Friday.

More than ten buildings in Xiangxi Village in Baiyun District of Guangzhou, the provincial capital, began to slope at about 3 PM, forcing residents to escape, according to Xinxi Times.

The Guangzhou-based newspaper reported "thousands of people" were evacuated.

The cave-in left a huge hole measuring three meters in diameter, it cited a witness surnamed Chen as saying.

Two multi-story buildings collapsed and about eight others sank by up to six meters.

No one was injured as the buildings were tilting slowly and people had time to evacuate.

Villagers sought shelter in the conference hall or an entertainment center under organization of the village committee.

Villagers said a two-story building sank about two meters two years ago due to a piling project. Some assumed that a nearby real estate project and a coal mine might be responsible for Friday's cave-in.

The sinking area remained cordoned off as of Friday night.

Cause of the cave-in was under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2008)