Written By Lisa Murimi
Malaysian authorities are urgently working to rescue a 48-year-old Indian national who fell into an eight-metre deep sinkhole that suddenly opened on a busy road in Kuala Lumpur.Â
The woman was sitting on a roadside bench in Jalan India Masjid when the ground beneath her gave way, plunging her into the hole, according to local police.
Dramatic videos circulating on social media show crowds gathered as rescue workers attempt to access the sinkhole.
Equipped with ladders, hammers, and diggers, rescuers are working tirelessly to clear the area, though there has been no sign of the woman so far.
The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department received a distress call at 08:22 local time (00:22 GMT) and dispatched 15 firemen to the scene.
Operation commander Mohd Riduan Akhbar confirmed that a search and rescue operation is ongoing, with the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team of Malaysia (STORM) and the K9 unit on-site.
Ninety personnel from various agencies have joined the operation, and local police chief Assistant Commissioner Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman stated that CCTV footage and witness statements will be reviewed to understand what happened.
Sinkholes, caused by underground water dissolving surface rock, are relatively common, though injuries are rare.
