A 21-year-old woman was injured after falling into a manhole with a loose cover.
CCTV footage shows Juliana Mara Schiel walking her dog, Pitu, along the pavement on Sunday (17 May) night.
One paving slab, which looked identical to the others, suddenly gave way as she stepped on it, and the ground swallowed her up.
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Pitu was left on the pavement in Cuiabá, Brazil, barking in distress.
Juliana later told local media it took her a few seconds to understand what had happened.
She said: “It didn’t feel real. I was really confused. The first thing I did when I managed to grab my phone was call my mum.”
Juliana soon realised she was injured and began calling for help. She was eventually rescued by passers-by.
She said: “I think I was there for about two or three minutes before help arrived, but it all happened very quickly.”
Juliana broke teeth in the fall and was taken to hospital, where she received stitches to her chin and mouth.
She said: “My shoulder still hurts quite a lot. I also twisted my ankle and ended up covered in scrapes and bruises all over my body.”
Juliana is currently eating only soft, cold foods while she recovers from her mouth injuries, as reported by Need To Know.
She believes Pitu played a role in her rescue, saying: “I think she helped people notice because she was on a lead and stayed close by.”
Following the incident, Cuiabá’s Department of Infrastructure and Public Works said in a statement: “To ensure the safety of pedestrians and drivers, the area will be properly signposted on Monday (18 May) afternoon.
“Between 2025 and 2026, around 500 manhole covers have already been replaced or reinstalled by the municipality, most of them due to structural damage and breakage.”
Despite the ordeal, Juliana considers herself lucky.
She said: “When I watched the video afterwards, I thought it could have been much worse.
“If it had been a child or an elderly person, the consequences might have been even more serious.”
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