A truck has fallen into a hole in part of a busy intersection near Tokyo that caved in on Tuesday morning. Efforts are underway to rescue the driver.

The road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, was reported at around 9:40 a.m.

Firefighters say the resulting hole is about 10 meters wide and 5 meters deep.

An NHK helicopter confirmed what appeared to be the bed of the truck in the hole shortly after 11 a.m. Rescue workers around the hole were seen extending a crane arm.

The truck's male driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, is said to be able to speak with the rescuers.

A woman who lives near the site said she heard a thunderous noise, looked out and saw the hole. She said what looked like the bed of a truck gradually sank and disappeared from view.

The Saitama prefectural office suggests that sewage pipes some 10 meters underground may have decayed and ruptured.

Inazumi Shinya, an expert in geotechnical engineering, says the site used to be a wetland, so the groundwater level is high and the ground is soft because it's mostly sand.

He points out that these factors may have made it easier for the ground to be eroded by leaked water, accelerating the collapse.