KL sinkhole: Search for missing woman enters eighth day

Friday 15 Nov 2024

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 30): The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the Indian national swallowed by a sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India here last Friday (Aug 23) has resumed, after being temporarily halted at around 5am on Friday.

Checks by Bernama found that the SAR team, consisting of the Royal Malaysian Police, the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Department of Minerals and Geosciences, was already at the scene and the surrounding area by 8am to continue the operation.

It is understood that the SAR operation, now in its eighth day, is still focused on efforts to clear a “backlog” or 15-metre blockage detected on Thursday (Aug 29) in the sewer lines below Wisma Yakin, approximately 44 metres from the sinkhole.

This follows an unsuccessful attempt at 4am on Friday by two scuba divers from the JBPM Northern Region Academy to clear the debris in the sewer chambers, after nearly half an hour of diving.

Bernama also observed that the number of business premises operating around the location remained the same as Thursday, with only those inside buildings mostly open, while traders using tents or roadside stalls are closed.

On Aug 23, an Indian woman identified as G Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, disappeared after falling into the eight metre-deep sinkhole while on her way to a nearby temple.

The SAR operation was activated on the same day, involving personnel from various security forces and local authorities who employed multiple techniques, including jetting, flushing and water suction to clear the incident site.

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