Malaysia intensifies search for Indian tourist who fell into sinkhole a week ago

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The search for an Indian tourist who was swallowed by a sinkhole in Malaysia’s capital entered a seventh day Thursday, with the operation hampered by strong undercurrent flows and worries about soil instability after a second sinkhole emerged nearby.

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, was walking along a road in the Dang Wangi area in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 23 when the pavement beneath her suddenly collapsed. She plunged into the 8-meter-deep (26-foot-deep) sinkhole and disappeared.

Rescuers have found no trace of her so far except for her slippers. The search operation has involved tracker dogs, remote cameras and ground-penetrating radar. Searchers have flushed portions of the underground drainage system using high-pressure water jets and excavators to remove debris.

Nor Hisham Mohammad, deputy director of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, said the search will continue. He said scuba divers may be sent into the sewage tunnel to check an obstacle that was detected if conditions are safe. Two divers entered early Thursday but it was too dangerous and they were pulled out before they could reach the obstacle.

Authorities said a soil slip was also reported in the same location last year. A second sinkhole appeared Wednesday about 50 meters (yards) from where the woman disappeared, sparking concern over public safety. Some roads in the affected area have been closed after the incident.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Maimunah Mohamad Sharif has reassured the public of the city’s safety. She said a task force has been formed to inspect sewage pipes and assess the safety of structures in the surrounding area.

Police said Gali came to Malaysia with her husband and friends about two months ago for a vacation. The accident occurred just a day before they were due to return home.