This video shows a young man falling into an open manhole while walking across the street on his mobile phone.

The footage was filmed in the administrative region of Ceilandia in Brazil’s Federal District.

In the clip, the tall man walks across the street while looking at his phone as a manhole with its cover missing is seen just ahead.

Inevitably, the man steps into the hole and falls, managing to stop himself from plummeting further with his upper body.

A second video filmed in October shows a man stealing the manhole cover, apparently to sell for scrap.

According to local reports, when the manhole cover where the man fell was stolen no replacement has been forthcoming so far.

Local residents said that it was not the only example and other people have been injured on the road due to the missing covers.

Residents also claim that the theft of manhole covers in the area has intensified, leading to the clogging of the sewer system and accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians.

In Ceilandia in November alone, over 64 manhole covers were reported as stolen.

In a statement on 6th December, the Regional Administration of Ceilandia said that they are “aware of the situation and have started work to replace this manhole cover and any others that need repairs”.

Last month, a 43-year-old man died after falling into a culvert during a flood in Riacho Fundo in the capital Brasilia.

According to the Fire Department, Jose Valdeir Barbosa was trying to remove rubbish from the top of the overflowing waterway when he slipped and fell into the floodwater.