WIPED OUT
Terrifying moment giant boulder CRUSHES lorry before huge rockfall slams into second truck from mountainside
The tragedy was captured on film
AN UNSUSPECTING lorry driver appeared terrified as a cascade of rocks hurtled down a mountain and onto his vehicle.
Chilling footage showed a giant boulder tumble from above and crush a lorry before rockfall slammed into a second truck.
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The tragedy unfolded on Central Highway in San Mateo, northeast of Lima in Peru, on Saturday.
Video filmed by a truck's dashcam showed the heart-stopping moment a massive rock broke away from the mountain, fell, and landed on the HGV driving ahead of it.
The boulder, which was about the size of a lorry itself, completely crushed the truck.
Moments later, another rock fell on top of the truck that was recording - it too was destroyed.
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Smaller rocks continued rolling down the hill and slammed into the road, blocking traffic in the area infamous for devastating rockfall.
Other video recorded in the truck's cabin showed the moment a driver realised what was happening.
He was seen ripping off his seatbelt and jumping out of the truck mere seconds before it was crushed by rocks.
Both lorry drivers miraculously survived, but the trucks and their cargo was ruined.
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The road was heavily damaged and blocked by the landslide.
It took authorities about four hours to clear the section of the mountain road.
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Photographs of the aftermath showed dozens of huge rocks littering the highway alongside the wreckage of the two crushed lorries.
One picture showed the wheel of one truck lying on the road with other crushed parts.
Officials said heavy rainfall destabilised the ground in the area, which likely led to the horrific landslide.
Investigations are continuing.
A witness said: "The lorry driver’s reaction was very quick, I think I would have frozen."
Watching the clip of the accident, one viewer said: "When it's not your turn [to die]..."
Another wrote: "Another reason to always wear your seatbelt,” wrote someone else."
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