Kuala Lumpur sinkhole: Search continues for missing woman who vanished into 8-metre pit

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Efforts to find an Indian tourist who vanished after falling into a sinkhole in Malaysia continued for a fourth day on Monday, as firefighters searched through manholes in central Kuala Lumpur.

The search operation, concentrated around two manholes in the Jalan Masjid India neighbourhood, has been made more challenging by heavy rains and the large amount of debris in the sinkhole.

The search team is using high-pressure jets of water to cut through debris to find the victim, identified as Vijayalaksmi.

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

The 48-year-old Indian tourist fell into the 8m deep sinkhole at 8.22am on 23 August, when the ground gave way while she was walking to a nearby temple.

Explaining the challenges they were facing, fire operation officer Alimaddia Bukri said that the rescuers have been diving deep into the sewer amid strong currents and zero visibility.

The heavy rains have added to the difficulty, posing dangers to the lives of the divers themselves.

“In that hole, there is a sewage drain and other drains; it’s really deep.

“We have discussed and obtained advice from the relevant experts before making any decision in this operation,” he was quoted as saying by the Strait Times.

The victim’s family, currently in Malaysia, is receiving support, including accommodation, food, and counseling, reported the Malay Mail. The authorities have pledged to continue the search until the woman is found.

Kuala Lumpur’s mayor spoke up in defence of the city’s safety, after a 2015 social media post went viral calling it “the most unsafe place” city in Malaysia with a possibility of a “giant sinkhole” opening at anytime.

Advising residents “to continue their daily routines as usual”, the mayor said: "In my view, Kuala Lumpur remains safe.

“We will only consider it unsafe if there are studies that provide evidence to the contrary, especially given the alarming media reports," she said.

Separately, a task force comprising of experts from various agencies has been set up to study the safety of structures around Jalan Masjid India.