Search for Indian Tourist Who Fell into Kuala Lumpur Sinkhole Enters Second Day
A desperate search operation is ongoing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a 48-year-old Indian tourist who fell into an eight-meter deep sinkhole on August 23. Despite a 17-hour search effort, rescuers have only managed to recover a pair of slippers belonging to the missing woman. The incident occurred at Jalan Masjid India, a popular tourist area, and has left authorities and family members anxiously waiting for news.
According to eyewitnesses, the woman was walking in front of the Malayan Mansion at 8:20 am when the ground suddenly gave way, causing her to plummet into the sinkhole. The Kuala Lumpur police chief, Rusdi Mohd Isa, confirmed that the search had to be suspended at 12:30 am on August 24 due to heavy rain and the treacherous environment, which complicated rescue efforts. The search is scheduled to resume today, with authorities racing against time to locate the missing tourist.
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The rescue mission has been a complex and challenging operation, with an excavator and two scuba divers deployed to navigate the sewer line where the woman is believed to have fallen. Firefighters excavated a 1.5-meter-deep chamber at the site of the sinkhole, which is part of a sewer line that leads to a sewage plant 7 kilometers away. The scuba divers entered the chamber to search for the woman but faced numerous challenges, including strong currents, gas, and sewage.
Rusdi Mohd Isa expressed concerns that the woman may have been swept away by the sewer line, which has a diameter of 1.5 meters and is three meters wide at the end. The Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia’s national sewerage company, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), Narendran Maniam, confirmed that it is possible for a human body to be carried by the sewer line. IWK has pledged to assist in the search by opening up every sewer manhole along the sewer line that ends at the sewage plant.
The missing woman, who was on a two-month holiday in Malaysia, was scheduled to leave the country on August 25. Her disappearance has sent shockwaves through the community, and authorities are working tirelessly to locate her. As the search enters its second day, hopes remain high that she will be found safe and sound. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring public safety and infrastructure in popular tourist areas.