Woman plunges into 8-meter deep hole after pavement sinks in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A woman plunged Friday into an 8-meter (26 feet) deep sinkhole in the Kuala Lumpur city center after the pavement she was on caved in, burying her alive, Malaysian authorities said.

The incident happened in Dang Wangi area of the Malaysian capital, where local police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said that based on eyewitness accounts, the woman was walking along the pavement when the earth suddenly collapsed beneath her.

Kuala Lumpur’s fire and rescue department, which received a distress call early Friday, has said the woman was believed to be an Indian national.

But Sulizmie said he couldn’t confirm her identity, as investigations are ongoing. Rescuers have barricaded part of the area and used an excavator to clear the debris in the hole, but there was no sign of the victim yet.

“The search will continue until the victim is found,” he said. He declined to comment when asked about the possible condition of the woman, or the cause of the incident.