‘There’s something behind the debris’: Malaysia sinkhole rescuers blast away blockages

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, vanished on Friday morning after a sinkhole suddenly opened beneath her feet as she walked along the pavement in Kuala Lumpur’s Masjid India district. The 8-metre deep chasm has since become the epicentre of an ongoing search and rescue operation.

“We feel there is something behind the heavy debris,” said Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman, the local police official overseeing the incident. Rocks, concrete fragments, and other detritus swept into the sewers by powerful currents have obstructed access, hampering efforts to locate any trace of the missing woman.

Sulizmie Affendy explained that rescuers were using a “technique of blasting and disintegrating the objects” to dislodge the blockage and clear the way for a thorough search of the subterranean drainage system.

“So far, we have yet to uncover any clues to the whereabouts of the victim,” he said.

To prevent further complications, Kuala Lumpur City Hall has strategically placed over 100 sandbags around the exposed sewer lines, shielding them from the disruptive influx of rainwater.

A search and rescue operation also remains centred around the Indah Water sewer plant in Pantai Dalam.

While authorities have not sought foreign expertise, Sulizmie Affendy expressed confidence in the local specialists from multiple agencies who are spearheading the efforts, saying he was hopeful of a positive outcome.

Recognising the public’s safety concerns, officials have stationed police around the sinkhole site and urged citizens to steer clear of the area. Arvend Applasamy, a special officer to the deputy prime minister, further noted that the government has extended the victim’s family’s visas for a month and appointed a counsellor to support them through the ordeal.

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