Sinkhole Incident: Second Day Of Rescue Efforts End Without Any New Leads

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The second day of the search and rescue operation (SAR) to find an Indian tourist who fell into a sinkhole that opened at her feet along Jalan Masjid India here yesterday ended without any new leads.

The search resumed at 10.30 am with six Fire and Rescue Department Scuba Unit members focused on the six sewer manholes around the location of the sinkhole along the sewer line that ends at the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Pantai Dalam treatment plant.

The six manholes are located in front of Wisma Yakin, Jalan Melayu, at the junction of Jalan Melayu, Dataran Merdeka, Bank Pertanian near Lebuh Pasar and Jalan Kinabalu.

Search team members faced various challenges today, encountering narrow conditions, swift currents and gaseous fumes in the manhole and sewer tunnels, which heighten risks to them.

Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman announced that the SAR was suspended at 7 pm and would resume tomorrow during a media conference tonight.

He added that the search tomorrow would still focus on the six manholes as they are confident that the victim was trapped in the area.

Sulizmie Addendy also recommended that traders in Jalan Masjid India to shut their businesses temporarily to avoid the risk of being exposed to any toxic fumes that might be emitted from the manholes during the operation.

Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is continuing its investigation into the soil structure in the area to obtain detailed findings and additional information to assist with the search.

The missing victim, a woman known as Vijayaletchumy, 48, fell down a sinkhole that appeared at her feet in Jalan Masjid India here while she was reportedly walking to a nearby temple to have breakfast.

-- BERNAMA