Day 9: SAR Team Stays Committed To Finding Missing Sinkhole Victim

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 (Bernama) -- The search and rescue (SAR) team remains dedicated to finding the victim of the sinkhole incident at Jalan Masjid India, now in its ninth day of operations.

More than 115 officers and personnel were involved in the operation including those from the Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Civil Defence Force, Indah Water Konsortium, Malaysian Nuclear Agency and the Department of Mineral and Geoscience.

A check by Bernama at the location at 9.30 this morning found that the SAR team members were already at the scene of the incident and the surrounding area to continue the operation to search for victims, but there has been no movement so far.

DBKL, in a statement yesterday, said that the SAR operation on the eighth day continued at night.

It is understood that the SAR team continued operations until 4 this morning, and used a telescopic camera to see a clearer image, especially in the two sewers in the search area which were found to be blocked due to debris and backlog.

The camera combines the technologies of both push rod and crawler cameras previously employed in the search efforts.

Meanwhile, a source close to the search operation indicated that Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2 pm today.

On Aug 23, G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, a tourist from India, went missing after falling into an eight-meter deep hole caused by a sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India while en route to a nearby temple.

A search and rescue (SAR) operation was launched the same day, involving security forces and local authorities.  For the past eight days, the team has employed various techniques, including jetting, flushing, and pumping water out of the site to locate the victim.

-- BERNAMA