Truck falls into sinkhole in Japan, driver still not rescued 24 hours later
A sinkhole opened up at a busy intersection in Japan on Tuesday (28 Jan), swallowing a passing truck, reported Japan’s FNN News.
The hole emerged at an intersection in Yashio City, outside of Tokyo, trapping the truck driver more than 24 hours after he first fell in.
Source: FNN Prime Online
Truck driver now silent after falling into Japan sinkhole
The sinkhole, approximately 5m wide and 10m deep, reportedly developed just before 10am.
After the truck fell in, its male driver believed to be in his 70s was initially responsive to communication but later fell silent.
After almost a full day, rescuers were able to lift out the cargo section of the truck but not the driver’s cabin, according to NTV News.
Source: FNN Prime Online
Another sinkhole appears
Worse still, an even larger sinkhole emerged nearby, complicating rescue efforts further.
The new hole pulled in several utility poles and other objects.
Source: Mainichi
A drone is being deployed to survey the site to determine how to safely rescue the trapped trucker, who has now been trapped for more than 24 hours.
Sinkhole believed to have been caused by corroded underground pipe
The authorities believe the sinkholes were caused by a heavily corroded underground water pipe 10m underground, according to Kyodo News.
The corrosion is suspected to have been caused by sulfuric acid, which is formed when sewer gas is exposed to air.
The leaking water eroded the soil underneath the surface, forming a chasm under the road that eventually collapsed as it was unable to withstand the weight of passing traffic.
Prefectural authorities have asked cities and towns nearby to refrain from excess use of water for washing or bathing, fearing that the increase in sewage may aggravate the situation.
Additionally, they have also begun looking for more underground chasms that may have been formed due to the pipe leak.
Also read: Sinkhole develops outside police station in Malacca due to soil erosion caused by water leakage
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Featured image adapted from FNN Prime Online and Mainichi.
