Authorities are working to establish the cause of a cave-in which swallowed 12 cars in Mississippi.

Nobody was injured when the ground gave way outside a restaurant in Meridian late on Saturday.

The public safety director of Meridian, Buck Roberts, told The Meridian Star newspaper the collapse was not caused by a sinkhole.

Onlookers survey the damage | Image: YouTube/Jason Hartwig

A sinkhole usually occurs when an underground water aquifer dries and leaves a void in the ground.

Engineers and contractors are due at the scene today.

Watch footage showing the cave-in below: