In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia a woman fell into a sinkhole that was 8 meters (26 feet) deep in the city center after the pavement collapsed, Malaysian police reported. The incident occurred in the Dang Wangi area, where eyewitnesses observed the woman walking along the pavement before it gave way beneath her. The victim, a 48-year-old tourist from India, was then swept away by an underground water current.
Rescuers cordoned off the area and used machinery to clear the debris from the sinkhole, but there was no sign of the woman yet. Authorities refrained from providing details on the woman’s condition or the cause of the incident. Kuala Lumpur police chief Rusdi Mohamad Isa mentioned the presence of a strong underground water flow that could have carried the woman away.
Rusdi explained to the national news agency Bernama that the search operation must be meticulously planned due to potential disruptions to public infrastructure. Rushed actions like closing off pipes or drains could result in flooding in the area. He emphasized the need for caution in the operations. The location of the sinkhole had experienced a soil slip last year, which was rectified.
Traders in the vicinity were advised to temporarily halt operations for safety precautions. The woman, who was on vacation in Malaysia with her husband and friends for the past two months, was scheduled to depart on Saturday.