194-Personnel Team Concludes SAR Phase For Sinkhole Victim On Ninth Day

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 (Bernama) -- After nine days of persistent search and rescue (SAR) for the victim of the sinkhole that occurred on Jalan Masjid India, the operation has been officially transitioned to the search and recovery phase today.

A total of 194 personnel, from the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the Civil Defence Force, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), the police, K9 Unit, and other agencies participated in the SAR operation, which was conducted at the primary site at Jalan Masjid India and the IWK sewage treatment plant in Pantai Dalam.

Multiple methods were employed throughout the nine-day operation, including diving in sewage chambers, flushing techniques, water jetting, using underground detection devices and crawler cameras, and conducting simulations with barrels and bottles.

Unfortunately, these efforts failed to yield results, as the victim remains missing and no clues regarding her whereabouts have been identified.

Despite coming up empty-handed each day, the SAR team never wavered in their dedication and commitment to locating the victim. 

Dang Wangi District police chief ACP Sulizme Affendy Sulaiman stated that the operation successfully united all the agencies involved agencies, each demonstrating a high level of cooperation from day one.

"I would like to thank everyone for their efforts. The spirit of these personnel and officers demonstrates a strong commitment to working together," he said during the final assembly after the SAR phase of the operation concluded today.

Earlier, during a press conference, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), Dr. Zaliha Mustafa, announced that after reviewing expert opinions, it was decided to halt the SAR operation today, with efforts now shifting to the search and recovery phase.

Meanwhile, as of 5.30 pm, a Bernama survey at Jalan Masjid India found that the tent housing the SAR team had been covered with a blue canvas, and the public could now access the pedestrian path next to the site.

Some passersby were observed taking pictures of the site and watching DBKL removing equipment.

A section of approximately 100 metres from the site to the Mydin building has been closed to vehicles to facilitate reconstruction work. 

On August 23, Indian national tourist G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, fell into an eight-metre-deep hole due to a sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India while walking to a nearby temple. The SAR operation was initiated on the same day.

-- BERNAMA