Woman falls into 26ft sinkhole and is still missing four days later

A tourist who vanished after she fell down a 26ft sinkhole in Malaysia has still not been found.

The 48-year-old Indian woman has not been seen since the pavement opened up and swallowed her as she walked through the Dang Wangi area of Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

In a new update, the search has been made challenging because of heavy rain and large amounts of debris in the sinkhole.

Rescuers cordoned off the collapsed section and used an excavator to clear debris but there was no sign of her.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, giving an update on the fire department’s efforts, said: ‘Today’s focus was on manhole 5 by Agro Bank and manhole 6 at Jalan Kinabalu.’

Police believe she may have been swept away by an underground water current but have vowed to continue the search until she is found.

Local police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman declined to comment when asked about the possible condition of the woman, or the cause of the incident.

Rusdi Mohamad Isa, head of the Kuala Lumpur police, said there was a strong water flow underground and that the woman may have been swept away.

He told the national Bernama news agency the search required careful planning because it involves public infrastructure.

Shutting off pipes or drains, for example, could cause flooding in the area, he said, adding: ‘We can’t act recklessly.’

Rusdi said a soil slip was reported last year in the same location where the sinkhole appeared but that it was fixed.

He said businesses in the area have been advised to close temporarily for safety reasons.

The woman had come to Malaysia with her husband and several friends about two months ago for a vacation and they were due to return home Saturday, he said.

Her family is receiving support in Malaysia including accommodation, food, and counseling.

This article was first published on August 24, 2024.

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