Crowds flee in panic as Chinese skyscraper wobbles

Hordes of locals were seen fleeing in a panic as a 300m skyscraper swayed back and forth in terrifying scenes in China.

Incredible footage shared on social media has shown hundreds of people fleeing from a 300m high skyscraper in China as it swayed in the air.

No earthquakes were recorded in the area, with experts still unsure what made the giant building sway.

This vision was recorded on Tuesday afternoon and shows the SEG Plaza building in Shenzhen wobbling, forcing over 70 storeys to be evacuated in chaotic scenes in the southern Chinese city.

The 300-metre high SEG Plaza (C) is seen after it began to shake in Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong province. Picture: STR/AFP/China Out

People stand near the 300-metre high SEG Plaza after it began to shake. Picture: STR/AFP/China Out

Local media reported Shenzhen’s Futian district received reports of shaking from staff inside the building at 12.31pm local time, prompting a wave of civilians pouring out to the streets in terror. Experts are still unsure what caused the rocking.

“After checking and analysing the data of various earthquake monitoring stations across the city, there was no earthquake in Shenzhen today,” district officials said in a statement released on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

SEG Building in Huaqiang Bei #Shenzhen has been evacuated after the building started to shake today. Currently the reason is being investigated after it was confirmed that no #earthquake occured. pic.twitter.com/KwNZ1Ip12d

— Shenzhen Pages (@ShenzhenPages) May 18, 2021

pic.twitter.com/tR8JdbkqiM

— Shenzhen Pages (@ShenzhenPages) May 18, 2021

A preliminary investigation revealed that, despite the swaying, no cracks in the ground surrounding the building were found, nor was there any damage to pieces of outer walls.

SEG Building in Huaqiang Bei #Shenzhen has been evacuated after the building started to shake today. Currently the reason is being investigated after it was confirmed that no #earthquake occured. pic.twitter.com/KwNZ1Ip12d

— Shenzhen Pages (@ShenzhenPages) May 18, 2021

One witness told Beijing media outlet Tou Tiao she was working when she heard an explosion and the sound of glass smashing.

“At the time I thought it was a car crash but then I saw smoke coming out of the committee office and heard people saying that they suspected there had been an explosion,” she said.