KL Sinkhole Incident: Everything We Know So Far About The Ongoing Search For The Victim
It's been over 72 hours since the sinkhole appeared at 8.20am on Friday, 23 August.
By May Vin Ang — 26 Aug 2024, 11:35 AM
It's been over 72 hours since a woman fell into a sinkhole that suddenly appeared along the sidewalk of Jalan Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur.
Unfortunately, as of writing, there are no new leads in the search and rescue (SAR) operation of the 48-year-old victim.
According to The Times of India, the victim has been identified as Vijaya Lakshmi, a tourist from Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh, India, who was on a two-month holiday in Malaysia with her family.
The family was scheduled to return home on Saturday, 24 August.
However, at approximately 8.20am on Friday, 23 August, Vijaya was walking in front of the Malayan Mansion flats on Jalan Masjid India when the ground beneath her suddenly collapsed, causing her to fall into the sinkhole.
Rescuers could only find a pair of her slippers after 17 hours of excavating and searching the area of the incident
The SAR team had initially focused on the area where the victim fell. However, following the discovery of strong underground currents, they believe she may have been swept into the underground sewage network.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said it detected a sewage pipe spanning 1.5m in diameter as part of the underground infrastructure at the location.
However, a search along all six manholes of the 7km sewage line from Jalan Masjid India to a sewerage pond in Pantai Dalam over the weekend yielded no clues.
The New Straits Times reported that the dangerous operation saw the Fire and Rescue Department's scuba unit officers entering the sewers one at a time, in full personal protective equipment, to search for the victim.
Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Rozihan Anwar Mamat explained that it was high-risk, as they had to dive through toxic biogas and strong currents with limited visibility.
"We are also using an air line system because we cannot bring individual [oxygen] tanks due to the narrow space.
"The tanks are positioned above [the ground], while the divers are inside," he said.
Today, 26 August, 104 members from various security agencies and authorities will continue the search
According to Bernama, the Indah Water Konsortium, along with personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, the Civil Defence Force, police, and DBKL, have decided to flush the sewer and conduct a search at the end point of the Pantai Dalam treatment plant.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has been following the operation's progress, said the search would continue until the victim is found.
Dangi Wangi police chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman has also assured the victim's family that the rescue team has not placed any deadline on the search.
